Differentiation Strategies

Quick URL for sharing: http://tinyurl.com/slvusddiff

“In this class we are never finished. Learning is a process that never ends.”

Carol Ann Tomlinson

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is a teacher's response to a learner's needs. It is guided by a firm belief that all students should learn and grown each year through respectful tasks, flexible grouping, and ongoing assessment and adjustments. Differentiation may happen in content, process, or product and is determined by the students readiness, interests, and learning profile.

Differentiation is essential because all students are different in their backgrounds and interests, in their learning rates, in their thinking and learning styles. Students don’t all know the same things at the same time. Some students work well with others and some work best on their own. Students respond differently to feedback. Some students do well in a classroom while others struggle in the same situation.

Differentiation is an answer to the last two questions in the Four Essential Questions for teachers:

1. What do we want students to learn?

2. How will we know if they learned it?

3. How will we respond when they don't learn it?

4. How will we respond when they already know it?

Anchor Activities -- this is a good starting spot for upping your differentiation game

Quick Tips for Managing Differentiation:

  • Have a plan for when you are busy working with other students.
    • anchor activities,
    • visual directions
    • ask the group expert
    • ask three before me
  • Flexible Grouping/Home Base Groups - Flexible grouping refers to learning groups that come and go throughout the year based on need.
  • Procedures - Procedures must be taught and practiced so that students know what to do without constant supervision.
  • Student Ownership - give students work to do in the classroom and students will have a sense of ownership in their own learning.