| Differentiation. Differentiated Curriculum. Differentiated | | | | learning goals-to express what they know in varied |
| Instructional Strategies. At conferences, parent | | | | ways (e.g. speaking, writing, drawing) |
| gatherings, and curriculum planning meetings, the term | | | | The following are three learner characteristics |
| differentiation is thrown around like a Frisbee. As a | | | | instructors can take into account when planning to |
| newly hired teacher, I recall nodding my head and | | | | differentiate: |
| blinking blankly whenever the term was whizzed at | | | | READINESS: Readiness refers to the understanding |
| me. The definition of differentiation is taken for granted; | | | | and preparedness learners have at the start of study. |
| thus, no one ever pauses to tell what differentiation | | | | Because learners vary in preparation and knowledge |
| means. This article will do just that. | | | | (in other words, what they bring to the classroom and |
| In a nutshell, differentiation--which is sometimes called | | | | to specific assignments), they require different levels of |
| differentiated instruction--refers to a method of | | | | difficulty. To differentiate according to Readiness, |
| curriculum planning and instruction that offers learners a | | | | instructors can do the following: |
| wide variety of ways to acquire understanding. The | | | | - Add student teach-backs to assignments |
| following bullet points offer a quick and dirty guide to | | | | - Add or remove peer conferencing, instruction, and |
| differentiated instruction. These bullets outline the three | | | | models for a task |
| elements of the curriculum that can be differentiated | | | | - Make the task more or less familiar (e.g. by adding or |
| as well as the three learner characteristics that can be | | | | removing information and resources) |
| taken into account while differentiating your instruction. | | | | INTERESTS: Interests, in terms of differentiation, can |
| The following elements of your curriculum can be | | | | be thought of as the learner's "academic taste buds." |
| differentiated | | | | Because learners have different taste buds, instructors |
| CONTENT: Content is considered the "stuff" of the | | | | can align curriculum with topics or pursuits that satisfy |
| curriculum. This "stuff" includes what the instructor | | | | the palate of each learner. To differentiate according |
| plans for learners to understand as well as the ways | | | | to Interest, instructors can do the following |
| the learner will gain access to the desired knowledge | | | | - Provide a wide variety of choices for topics and |
| and skills. To differentiate according to Content, an | | | | products |
| instructor can do the following: | | | | - Provide a variety of avenues for learner exploration |
| - Provide text on multiple levels of difficulty | | | | of a topic |
| - Use part-to-whole or whole-to-part instruction | | | | - Give learners a choice of tasks and products, |
| - Use manipulatives, Internet resources, audio | | | | including learner-designed options |
| recordings, and other non-conventional "text" | | | | LEARNING PROFILE: Just as the height and shape of |
| PROCESS: Process refers to the activities in which | | | | students vary (even within the same grade), so do |
| learners engage in order to gain understanding of the | | | | their learner profiles. No matter how students are |
| subject. A conventional way to think about Process is | | | | grouped, each group will have learners with different |
| to consider it as the things learners do in the class and | | | | interests, levels of readiness, learning styles, talents, and |
| for homework. To differentiate according to Process, | | | | standardized test scores. One understanding of |
| the instructor can do the following: | | | | learning styles is Howard Gardner's theory of multiple |
| - Vary amount of support given by the instructor | | | | intelligences. Gardner's theory delineates the following |
| - Give learners choices about how they express what | | | | categories: Bodily-kinesthetic, Interpersonal, |
| they learn | | | | Verbal-linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Naturalistic, |
| - Provide varied assignment options at differing levels | | | | Intrapersonal, Visual-spatial, and Musical. To differentiate |
| of difficulty or based on learner interests | | | | according to Learning Profile, instructors can do the |
| PRODUCT: Products are the end result, the things | | | | following: |
| learners create to demonstrate what they understand | | | | - Provide choice of spaces for activities (e.g. desks, |
| and/or are able to do after they have moved through | | | | couches, and floor seating) |
| the curriculum. Some examples of learning products | | | | - Present information in a variety of ways (video, |
| are essays, poems, quiz/test answers, presentations, | | | | handout, lecture, peer-to-peer talks) |
| blogs, websites, skits, videos, plays, and other | | | | - Provide learning opportunities in various modes |
| dramatizations. To differentiate according to Product, | | | | (musical, visual display, movement and manipulatives) |
| the instructor can do the following: | | | | Differentiation helps instructors engineer curriculum that |
| - Provide rubrics (a grid showing how learners will be | | | | reaches the widest number of learners possible. With |
| assessed) for assignments | | | | the above guide highlighting the primary tenets of |
| - Vary types of resources learners can use in | | | | differentiation, you can approach your curriculum-and |
| preparing products (text, Internet resources, books, | | | | the next faculty meeting-with a basket full of |
| encyclopedias, interviews, tours, pamphlets, etc) | | | | knowledge and tools to differentiate in all of your |
| - Allow learners to design a product around essential | | | | curriculum. |