Tools for Differentiation / FrontPage Inclusion in the 21st-century classroom: Differentiating with technology - Reaching every learner: Differentiating instruction in theory and practice In this video, students in a gifted classroom use the multi-user learning environment Quest Atlantis to explore issues related to the creation of a game reserve in Tanzania. Interviews with the teacher and students offer perspectives on the value of using virtual worlds in the classroom . About the videoDownload video (Right-click or option-click) The diversity of the 21st-century classroom creates numerous challenges for teachers who may not have known the same diversity themselves as students. Among these, teachers must balance the requirements of high-stakes accountability while meeting the needs of diverse students within their classroom. While many teachers express frustration over high-stakes accountability standards, they acknowledge pressure to “teach to the test,” fearing non-proficient scores, dissatisfaction from school administrators, and in smaller systems, the potential risk of embarrassment when scores are made public. Differentiation as effective instruction VoiceThread
Digital Differentiation Technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop 21st Century Skills. At it's most basic level, digital tools can be used to help students find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences fueled by Essential Questions offering flexible learning paths, it can be the ticket to success. Here is a closer look at three components of effectively using technology as a tool for digital differentiation. Note: The interactive graphics you see below have been updated. The goal is to design student-driven learning experiences that are fueled by standards-based Essential Questions and facilitated by digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths. Essential Questions: Student-driven learning experiences should be driven by standards-based Essential Questions. Teacher Facilitated Learning Experiences:
How to Differentiate Instruction How to Differentiate Instruction What's All the Hype? Unfortunately, our images of school are almost factory images, so school is very standardized. But kids don't come in standard issue. Effective teachers have been differentiating instruction for as long as teaching has been a profession. What The Research Tells Us About Differentiate Instruction There are three bodies of research worth mentioning. 1) Brain-based Research 2) Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences 3) Authentic Assessment Brain-based Research on Learning Research on the brain has been used to inform educational practice for many years and is becoming more and more popular. Other valuable links on this topic can be found at: Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences Learning styles research is predominantly used to understand learning preferences that students use to receive and/or process information.
The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction My colleague Katie Hull-Sypnieski is leading a February 1st Education Week Webinar on differentiating instruction, and I would strongly encourage people to participate. Katie’s the best teacher I’ve ever seen…. In addition, Katie and I have co-authored a piece for Education Week Teacher on the topic that will be appearing there soon (it’s appeared: The Five By Five Approach To Differentiation Success), and an upcoming post in my blog there will be talking about it, too (that two part series has also appeared). I also did a second two-part series in Ed Week on differentiation. Also, check out The Best “Fair Isn’t Equal” Visualizations. Given all that, a “The Best…” post was inevitable, and here it is. Here are my choices for The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction: The Best Places To Get The “Same” Text Written For Different “Levels” Busting Myths about Differentiated Instruction is by Rick Wormeli. Reconcilable Differences? Deciding to Teach Them All is by Carol Ann Tomlinson.
100 Helpful Web Tools for Every Kind of Learner For those unfamiliar with the term, a learning style is a way in which an individual approaches learning. Many people understand material much better when it is presented in one format, for example a lab experiment, than when it is presented in another, like an audio presentation. Determining how you best learn and using materials that cater to this style can be a great way to make school and the entire process of acquiring new information easier and much more intuitive. Here are some great tools that you can use to <a href=">cater to your individual learning style, no matter what that is. Visual Learners Visual learners learn through seeing and retain more information when it's presented in the form of pictures, diagrams, visual presentations, textbooks, handouts and videos. Auditory Learners Auditory learners do best in classes where listening is a main concern. Kinesthetic Learners Kinesthetic learners do best when they interact and touch things.
Differentiated Instruction with UDL By Tracey Hall, Nicole Strangman, and Anne Meyer Note: Updated on 11/2/09; 1/14/11; Please visit the AIM Center home page. Introduction Not all students are alike. Based on this knowledge, differentiated instruction applies an approach to teaching and learning that gives students multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. This report on differentiated instruction and UDL begins with an introduction to differentiated instruction in which we provide the definition, a sampling of considerations and curriculum applications, and research evidence for effectiveness. The literature review in this paper is also available as a stand alone document, with annotated references. Top Definition To differentiate instruction is to recognize students' varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning and interests; and to react responsively. Figure 1. Identifying Components/Features Content Process Flexible grouping is consistently used. Products Figure 2.
The Differentiator Try Respondo! → ← Back to Byrdseed.com The Differentiator The Differentiator is based on Bloom's Taxonomy, Kaplan and Gould's Depth and Complexity, and David Chung's product menu. Try It In: French Dutch • Tweet It • Like Byrdseed • Pin It Students will judge the ethics of the [click to edit] using a textbook and create an essay in groups of three. Revised Bloom's Taxonomy adapted from "A Taxonomy for Learning,Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives" by Anderson and Krathwohl Depth and Complexity adapted from The Flip Book by Sandra N. Depth Big Idea Unanswered Questions Ethics Patterns Rules Language of the Discipline Essential Details Trends Complexity Multiple Points Of View Change Over Time Across the Disciplines Imperatives Origin Convergence Parallels Paradox Contribution Key Words Consequences Motivations Implications Significance Adapted from David Chung and The Flip Book, Too by Sandra N. Group Size One Two Three Four
Tools4SucessNotes - Differentiating Instruction Using Technology What Is Differentiated Instruction? (By: Carol Ann Tomlinson) Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction. Why Use Technology to Differentiate Instruction-- Why Not! One of the major benefits of using technology in the classroom is the ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of every student. When Deciding On What Digital Tools To Use....ask these questions: Let’s start with a premise: Planning differentiated instruction enhanced by technology is a perfect fit for the principles of understanding by design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) in which teachers plan instruction based on the results they intend for their students. Sample Lesson Student Interactive-Literary GraffitiRubiStar Classroom Strategies Using The Eight Multiple Intelligences Assess Your Strengths Resources
A Teacher’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction Introduction Does effectively teaching 30 students in one classroom require teachers to develop 30 lessons, one tailor-made for each student? Or should teachers “aim for the middle” and hope to reach most students in a given lesson? What is Differentiation? Simply stated, differentiation is modified instruction that helps students with diverse academic needs and learning styles master the same challenging academic content. How to Start Four planning steps set the stage for effective differentiated instruction. Vary Materials Author Joyce Van Tassel-Baska (2003) suggests that the selection of materials for use in the classroom is a crucial next step to effective differentiated instruction. Nonfiction and fiction, written at a variety of reading levels. The use of varied materials will encourage these students to understand the concept of “main idea” not only within language arts but in other settings as well. Vary Process Vary Assessment Conclusion References Good, M. View Full Article
Centers: Effective Structures for Differentiation Photo by Woodley Wonder Works This article is written by Katie Haydon, founder of Ignite Creative Learning Studio. Learn more about Ignite at IgniteCreativeLearning.com or the Ignite Facebook page. Do you use centers in your primary classroom? Centers are an excellent tool for differentiation that will free you up to work with small groups of students, whether gifted, high-achievers, or those needing extra help. Centers, in my opinion, go beyond mundane and standard worksheet tasks. Though centers can be used at any time in the year, some teachers like to wait at least a week or two, and sometimes six weeks into the school year to implement them so that they can gain a greater understanding of their students and be confident that they are ready to follow protocol. One issue with large numbers of students in small rooms may be space. Katie Haydon, founder of Ignite Creative Learning Studio, is a teacher, nationally-known writer and speaker, and a mentor to students of all ages.
School of Education Johns Hopkins University Can Novice Teachers Differentiate Instruction? Yes, They Can! by Holly C. Gould Teaching calls on the professional to use a variety of skills in order to reach a wide range of learners. One of the most important skills for teachers to develop is the ability to differentiate instruction. Differentiation involves modifying the content, process, product or learning environment to effectively address the variety of student interests, learning preferences, affective needs and readiness levels in today's classrooms (Tomlinson, 2003). As with other professions, teachers' skills develop and improve over time. Fuller and Brown (1975) found that novices proceed through three stages: survival concerns, teaching situation concerns, and pupil concerns. Lidstone and Hollingsworth (1992) conducted a longitudinal study of the first four years of teaching and found three stages of cognitive attention: management focused, subject/pedagogy focused, and student learning focused. Education professors must "talk the talk" and "walk the walk." References Tomlinson, C.