Effective teachers use evidence of student learning readiness, learning progress, and knowledge of individual student learning profiles, to make adjustments for individuals so all students experience challenge, success and improved learning.
Strategy Overview:
What is it?
Differentiated teaching refers to methods teachers use to extend the knowledge and skills of every student in every class, regardless of their starting point. The objective is to lift the performance of all students, including those who are falling behind and those ahead of year level expectations. Differentiated teaching provides appropriate challenge for all students in a class. It does so by responding to student differences in readiness, interest and learning profile. To ensure all students master objectives, effective teachers plan lessons that incorporate adjustments for content, process (how students make sense of content), and product (how students demonstrate what they know and understand). Teachers use assessment strategies to monitor student learning readiness and learning progress. They apply targeted interventions as components of differentiation.
How effective is it?
Differentiated teaching strategies, consistently applied, offer foundations on which all students can build meaningful learning. Response to Intervention (RTI) combines highly tailored differentiation with evidence-based interventions which are monitored constantly (RTI is also known as Multi-Tier System of Supports). Research shows a remarkable effect size of 1.07 for RTI.
Considerations
Differentiated teaching involves teachers supporting students to achieve success as they move through the learning process. It recognises all students have different abilities. It acknowledges and values the effort each student puts into improving their work. Teachers who differentiate effectively call on information that pinpoints what students know now, and what they are ready to learn next. They use formative assessment to monitor learning, and to guide selection of targeted interventions corresponding with individual needs. Teachers implement interventions using fluid groupings to address students’ current needs. As students gradually master the required skills teachers adjust groupings and may cease interventions.
This strategy is demonstrated when the teacher:
uses pre-assessment of student readiness, interest and learning profile to understand individual student’s needs and strengths
sets high expectations for all students
provides students with realistic, challenging goals, and recognise effort
relies on formative assessment to monitor student learning progress toward and beyond learning goals
uses a range of teaching strategies that support different abilities and ways of thinking and learning
sets open-ended tasks that allow students to work at different levels and paces
uses group and targeted interventions to remediate learning difficulties
assesses student work against prior achievements rather than against other students’ work.
This strategy is not demonstrated when the teacher:
sets the same work for all students
provides little variation in teaching strategies, resources and groups composition
assesses all student work against general criteria
applies differentiated teaching strategies only for gifted students
establishes consistently inflexible groupings
This strategy is demonstrated when students:
can choose learning activities based on agreed goals
are assessed against prior achievements, rather than against other students’ work
are supported and challenged to reach their learning potential
Examples that illustrate the strategy:
Example 1 Years 7-9 - Languages: Language teachers at a Melbourne secondary school were aware many students were not progressing at the expected rate. In their Professional Learning Community (PLC) during Term 2, they discussed their existing differentiation practices (giving students’ either extension or revision tasks). They agreed these strategies were failing to extend all students. PLC members decided to monitor students’ learning using student assessment data. Their analysis of the data prompted the PLC to consider how they could use student assessment data to improve design of differentiation strategies that meet diverse student needs. In Term 3, the school appointed data managers for each year level. They assisted teachers to build accurate class profiles, and to establish precise learning objectives that specifically targeted student needs. The data enabled teachers to match learning goals with teaching and learning strategies, and supported lesson planning based on explicit teaching (see HITS 3). Teachers adopted flexible groupings which fostered mastery of new skills, allowing students to progress quickly to new learning. Teachers agreed to implement new strategies consistently, and to monitor their impact on student outcomes. They used formative assessment to monitor individual student progress and to provide students with real time feedback. Teachers used on-the-spot interventions to clarify and correct misunderstandings, and when appropriate, to guide students to the next learning objective. Throughout Terms 3 and 4, student data was shared at PLC meetings. The PLC studied the data to identify trends, evaluate student progress, and refine the strategies put in place. The data flow was encouraging as it showed students were more engaged and individual achievement levels were increasing. Teachers welcomed this school-wide approach. They were empowered to use the collective knowledge and expertise in the PLC. They found the approach effective because it enabled them to target their teaching to the exact point of student need.
Example 2 Primary – Mathematics : A group of primary school teachers in a Mathematics PLC adopted a flipped classroom model to address a problem of practice. First, they wanted to provide effective differentiated instruction to a diverse range of students with mixed abilities. Second, they were determined to do so without compromising the quality of explicit teaching. PLC members decided to substitute the explicit instruction phase of their lessons with video based instruction using online resources, including recordings of their own teaching. This approach allowed students to access the videos in their own time, thus freeing classroom, group and individual practice time. School funds supported the purchase of Ziggy Cams, and with the use of web-based document sharing, teachers created an online repository of videos that were shared and viewed across classes. This approach yielded many benefits. It enabled effective scaffolding of learning. It provided students with greater virtual access to their teachers through videos on demand. It increased face-to-face student access to their teachers by freeing up time for group and one-on-one classroom feedback. Teachers were able to increase frequency and depth of individual and small group interventions. The videos provided explicit instruction delivered at the student point of need, creating opportunities for revision, extension and acceleration. Finally, teachers had increased opportunities to monitor student progress The model developed and implemented by PLC members was a successful response to the challenge they set for themselves. Using videos in a thoughtfully calibrated manner proved effective in providing differentiated instruction. At the same time, teachers were able to maintain their emphasis on providing clear instructions, demonstrating the application of knowledge, and using worked examples.
Continuum of Practice:
Emerging
Teachers use assessment strategies to identify what students know, and to monitor learning. Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies to accommodate the range of abilities and interests.
Evolving
Teachers use a range of assessment activities to identify prior learning, and to diagnose student learning needs.
Teachers modify and diversify their instructional delivery and behaviour management to meet the different needs of students.
Embedding
Student assessment data is analysed and findings explicitly inform curriculum planning and teaching practice.
Teachers use data to determine the targeted interventions required for individual students.
Teachers ‘teach-up’ – that is, they teach high quality, rich curriculum to all students and scaffold learning so students achieve high level goals, rather than teach ‘down’ to students they perceive as having less ability
Excelling
After effectively diagnosing individual students’ abilities, teachers select and explicitly teach using tailored, appropriately challenging strategies.
Teachers contribute to the ongoing development of whole-school assessment policies and strategies, which support teachers to build their capability to use a range of assessment data to diagnose students’ learning needs and inform planning for student learning.
Differentiation is central to planning and delivery in all lessons.
Resources:
Lesson Planning Templates
Differentiation Strategies (from Independent Work Rotation)
Personalized Learning Video (from Research Rotation)
Differentiation Is... handout (from Teacher Rotation)
Differentiation Quizizz (from Technology Rotation)
Additional Help article: Classroom Examples
Evidence Base:
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Milton Park, UK: Routledge.
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning. Milton Park, UK: Routledge.
Marzano, R. J. (2007). The art and science of teaching: a comprehensive framework for effective instruction. Alexandria, USA: ASCD.
Pirozzo, R. (2014). Differentiating the Curriculum: Supporting teachers to thrive in mixed ability classrooms. Melbourne, Australia: Hawker Brownlow.
Shaddock, A., Packer, S. and Roy, A. (2015). Schools for all children and young people: Report of the expert panel on students with complex needs and challenging behavior. Australian Capital Territory Government, Canberra: Australia.
Tomlinson, C. (2014), The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, USA: ASCD.
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Hawker Brownlow, Melbourne: Australia.