Heather Stinnett
Copper Mesa Elementary
Literacy Specialist / Gifted and Talented Facilitator
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Differentiation
The key to successful teaching is differentiating. Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether differentiating the content, process, products, or learning environment, the use of regular assessments and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.
The following is from scholastic.com:
This article was excerpted from the Scholastic Professional title, Differentiating Reading Instruction, by Laura Robb.
Differentiation is a way of teaching; it’s not a program or package of worksheets. It asks teachers to know their students well so they can provide each one with experiences and tasks that will improve learning. As Carol Ann Tomlinson has said, differentiation means giving students multiple options for taking in information (1999). Differentiating instruction means that you observe and understand the differences and similarities among students and use this information to plan instruction. Here is a list of some key principles that form the foundation of differentiating instruction.
Ongoing, formative assessment: Teachers continually assess to identify students’ strengths and areas of need so they can meet students where they are and help them move forward.
Recognition of diverse learners: The students we teach have diverse levels of expertise and experience with reading, writing, thinking, problem solving, and speaking. Ongoing assessments enable teachers to develop differentiated lessons that meet every students’ needs.
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.
Problem Solving: The focus in classrooms that differentiate instruction is on issues and concepts rather than “the book” or the chapter. This encourages all students to explore big ideas and expand their understanding of key concepts.
Choice: Teachers offer students choice in their reading and writing experiences and in the tasks and projects they complete. By negotiating with students, teachers can create motivating assignments that meet students’ diverse needs and varied interests.
From this list you can see that differentiating instruction asks teachers to continually strive to know and to respond to each students’ needs to maximize learning. Instruction in reading should be differentiated.