Seven Keys (7)

About the student --  Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile

READINESS -- To differentiate in response to student readiness, a teacher assesses and constructs tasks at different levels of difficulty.   

Teachers can adjust for readiness by:

1. Pretesting and ongoing assessment

2. Adjusting the depth or degree of difficulty of a task to provide an appropriate level of challenge

3. Adjusting the pace of instruction

4. Adjusting the concreteness or abstractness of a task

5. Adjusting the level of dependence and independence 

6. Adjusting the resources based on reading level   (www. lexile.com or google read and write)

7. Using manipulatives or models

8. Presence or absence of models for a task

9. Scaffolding (teacher and/or peer coaching)  to provide support  for the student

10. Making the task more or less familiar based on the proficiency of the learner's experiences or skills for the task

11. Grouping students and using instructional strategies such as most difficult first, compacting, tic tac toe menus,  tiered assignments, contracts, centers, independent studies, apprenticeships, and mentorships

LEARNING PROFILE -- To differentiate in response to a student’s learning profile, a teacher addresses learning styles, student talent, or intelligence profiles. Some ways in which teachers can differentiate in response to student learning profile include:

1. Instruction and grouping based on learning styles such as North, South, East and West, the Temperament Sorter by Dr. Keirsey online (www.keirsey.com)

2. Instruction and exploration using auditory, visual, and kinesthetic modes

3. Creating a learning environment with flexible spaces and learning options

4. Allowing students to work alone, in pairs, or in collaborative groups

5. Flexible grouping using a choice of competitive, cooperative, and independent learning experiences

6. Authentic learning opportunities in the Multiple Intelligence areas/SMARTS or Product Pouches

7. Encouraging investigation or application of key concepts and principles in student’s interest areas. 

CONTENT:  What and how students learn

1. Memory games, “I Have, You Have”, “Footloose”

2. Recorded material or google read and write

3. Reading buddies

4. Multiple texts

5. Multiple supplementary materials

6. Small group direct instruction

7. Varied graphic organizers to support reading comprehension

8. Interest-based mini lessons

9. Most difficult first

10. Compacting

11. Acceleration

PRODUCT:  How students demonstrate and extend what they learn

The Multiple Intelligences or Product Pouches in your drive  (www.engine-uity.com)

1. Word Smart     Verbal Linguistic

2. Number Smart     Mathematical Logical

3. Art Smart     Visual Spatial

4. Body Smart           Bodily Kinesthetic

5. Music Smart     Musical Rhythmic

6. Nature Smart        Naturalist

7. Wondering Smart   Existential

8. People Smart    Interpersonal

9. Self Smart              Intrapersonal

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:  Varied resources, grouping structures, furniture, physical environment

1.  Groupings which are flexible

TAPS -- Together

Alone

Partners (Round the Clock Learning Buddies)

Small groups

2.  Access to various materials, resources, and technology

3.  An atmosphere which encourages expression of new ideas, acceptance of diversity, curiosity, and exploration

4.  Experiences offered that reflect the learner's interests, readiness and learning profiles

5.  Respect for all learners