Using Google to Differentiate in the Classroom

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is the way in which a teacher anticipates and responds to a variety of student needs in the classroom. To meet these needs, teachers differentiate by modifying . . .

1. Content (what we plan to teach and what we want students to learn)
2. Process (begins when students stop taking in information and begin to work actively with it)
3. Product (ways that students show what they have come to know, understand, and be able to do as the result of study)

To get your own copy of "Differentiating with Google Tools" - Google Doc link

• Multiple Intelligence Inventory - Help your students discover their multiple intelligences by taking this multiple intelligence test and seeing where they excel. Includes eight different areas for students to comment on to help ensure your teaching fits your students’ needs. Credit: Josie Nanfara-Grande
  • Student Interest Inventory
  • Inventory Analysis
• Weekly Assignment Sheet
  • Assignment in your classroom may vary by student, therefore, creating individual or group weekly assignments sheets is a good way to differentiate. These assignment sheets can be created in Google Docs and then shared.
• Hint Cards
  • You might have some students who need an extra hint on homework. Hint cards can be created and shared with either individual students or groups of students.
• Task Cards
  • In a differentiated classroom, students may work on varied versions of the same task or even on different tasks during the same length of time. Task cards are an effective means of giving directions to individuals or groups with varied work. Read my blog about creating Digital Task Cards at https://blog.tcea.org/differentiate-with-google/.
• RAFT Writing Assignment
  • The RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) strategy can serve as a motivator by giving students choice, appealing to their interest and learning profiles, and adapting to students readiness levels.
• Choice Boards
  • Choice boards or learning menus are a form of differentiated learning that provide multiple options for student learning or assessment.
  • Student Choice Board
  • See Kasey Bell's iPad Tic-Tac-Toe and Diner Menu created in Google Docs. You can make your own Tic-Tac-Toe from this Template.
• Choose Your Own Adventure
  • Choose Your Own Adventure is a great way to create choice, and differentiate for the multiple skill levels of your students.

• Create Student Surveys
  • Use surveys to find out student preferences, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Use Branching for Student Quizzes
  • Branching in Google Forms is a great way to differentiate student quizzes by having the form "go to page based on the answer" the student selects.
  • This could also be used for "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories.
  • TRY IT! - Sample Math Quiz.
  • How to use branching in Google Forms - https://goo.gl/rtHSCJ
• Project Check-In
  • The responses on a check-in form make it easier to give student the feedback they need.
• Reading Logs
  • Reading logs can serve as a good way for when you need to conference with a student.
• Exit Slips or Formative Assessments - Have a variety of exit slips and differentiate which students get which ones. Allow students to work on their exit slips in pairs or small groups.
  • Exit Ticket Example
  • Daily Activity Check In (with branching)
  • End of Class Reflection

Scaffold Learning

• Scaffold learning in Google Drawing by arranging beginner, intermediate, and advanced key words around a canvas.
  • TRY IT! - TCEA Convention Webinar Activity - Write a poem or story about the TCEA Covention. Save it as a .jpg and then upload it to Padlet at https://padlet.com/diana_benner/tcea.
  • Collaborative Magnetic Poetry by Kasey Bell
  • Summer Fun

Brainstorming

• Collaborative brainstorming can allow groups of students to collaborate and share ideas on the same concept map. Digital brainstorming provide all students with an opportunity to contribute.
  • See templates of concept maps and Venn diagrams in this Google Drawing Templates Folder
  • 8 Ways to Differentiate Pre-Writing
  • Differentiation with Google Drawing (YouTube Video)

Additional Resources

• Cultural Differentiation - https://blog.tcea.org/culturally-responsive-strategies/
• Ideas for Using Google Apps for Differentiation - https://goo.gl/AQBQlb
• Differentiate Instruction using Google Apps - http://goo.gl/v5OTJD
• Using Google Apps to Support Differentiation - http://goo.gl/Tzshkv
• Learning Menus and Choice Boards - http://goo.gl/WGbr5I
• Speech to Text Resources - https://goo.gl/deJQwz
• Unlock the Power of Google Forms - http://goo.gl/EpWU2c
• Digital Differentiation with Google Apps - http://goo.gl/lq7LtS
• Choose Your Own Adventure with Google Drive - https://goo.gl/vf7YqO
• Using Learning Menus and Choice Boards in your Classroom (Pinterest Board) - https://goo.gl/W8kuA7
• Meaningful Menus from Laurie Westphall - https://goo.gl/YLLenY
• Differentiated Instruction: A Primer (Education Week) - http://goo.gl/I2WRTr
• The Differentiate Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners - Book by Carol Tomlinson - http://goo.gl/9wqXpH

Shared by member Kris Clements:

• Electron Dot Structures Media Text Sets