ClassroomDifferentiation

Developing student mastery:Their own way

Their own strengthsTheir own pace

C. Anderson, 2013.

Tailoring classroom activities and

content to encourage individual mastery.

Acknowledges all students learn in different ways.

What is it?

Research* differentiation can be planned

for and integrated across four areas of classroom practice:1. Content – the ‘what’ of the lesson content. 2. Process – the ‘how’ of the lesson; how it is

undertaken.3. Product – the ‘product’ that will demonstrate

and apply student learning.4. Learning environment – how the physical

‘space’ of the classroom/learning area encourages or discourages learning.

Ref: Reading Rockets.org

Classroom Implications

High expectations. Allows for mastery at own pace. Teacher guidance allows students to

show learning in varied ways. Flexible – varied throughout process

depending on student needs and strengths.

Applies across all learning stages – K-12

Differentiation is…

Not individualised learning – doesn’t

require separate lesson plans each student. Doesn’t have to be all the time: whole class

work still important. Doesn’t mean just giving extra work at the

same level for high-achieving students. Nor, does it mean busy work for others who aren’t.

See more on this at Curriculum Support, NSW DET, HERE.

Differentiation isn’t …

What it looks like in the English Classroom.

Maintain a clean, tidy and organised

classroom. Display plenty of relevant visual stimuli – keep

it current and refreshed. Think about seating arrangements – vary

depending on activity. If room-sharing, seek co-operation from other staff.

‘Borrow’ ideas from other classrooms/other teachers.

Consider a mini class library, with reading material to cater for varied interests and abilities.

1. The Learning Environment

Positive student-teacher perceptions one of

most powerful influences on student success – and, through that, teacher satisfaction (Marzono, 2011; et al.)

Know your students and you: Know their interests. Know their learning strengths and needs. Can apply this knowledge in differentiated

tasks.

2. Know your students

1. Show interest in their extra-curricular lives.2. Read the local paper.3. Listen out for your students’ achievements at

school assemblies. 4. Listen to them.5. Set writing, survey and game activities for

‘Getting to know you’ at beginning of class year. Some good examples in ‘Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom’.

Know your students: 10 tips

1. Advocate for them – show them their welfare and

success is your top priority. Follow up and be consistent.

2. Offer after-class assistance.3. Collect books/tasks regularly – keep a personal record

of things you notice – will also be useful at report time.4. Find out what other student records you can access:

class reports; primary school reports; NAPLAN.5. Involve students – have them complete a Multiple

Intelligences/Learning Styles analysis. A good reference: Improving Thinking in the Classroom, Ralph Pirozzo,

10 tips – cont.

Analyse existing data on your students. EG:

NAPLAN See whether any of your students have

Individual Learning/Education Plans (ILP/IEP) or Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs), which focus on Indigenous learning needs and objectives. Do these identify prior learning assessments and specific details? Read more about these at

SLSP Effectively Supporting Students (NSW DET, 2010)

Assessing for Learning

Diagnostic Assessment and Activating

Prior Learning ‘T, H, ?’ – pre-teaching assessment: Do I

know [particular aspects of the topic] well enough to Teach, Heard of, ? New to Me

‘Think, Pair, Share’ – also good for activating prior knowledge.

‘K-W-L’ – model with students. A good example can be found in ‘Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom’, p.48.

Other tips for classroom assessment – (1)

Every topic should be accompanied by a unit

outline and course outcomes, linked to the syllabus. Explicitly model what each of these outcomes ‘look like’ and ‘mean’. Return to each as they are learned.

Remember how at uni we learned there are 3 stages of assessment: BEFORE – ‘diagnostic’ DURING – ‘formative’ AFTER – ‘summative’

Other tips for classroom assessment – (2)

Examples of formative assessment –

applicable for whole-class, group and individual activities. See excellent listing on the following link. From ‘Toolbox for Planning Rigorous Instruction’.

Includes (among others): Teacher questioning techniques Sentence starters and other prompts Prediction and summary writing Graphic organisers Draft and peer-editing

Other tips for classroom assessment – (3)

Other tips for classroom assessment – (4)

Examples of summative assessment: Exit cards – see Read Write Think for

explanation and examples. Also see the excellent presentation from Westminster Secondary School:

‘Strategies to Help Struggling Readers, Grades 4-12’ suggests numerous reading-specific activities, for pre, during and after-reading comprehension assessment.

Using Multiple Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy

‘42 Grid Matrix’ – Pirozzo (1997) Combines Gardner’s Theory of Multiple

Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Develops higher order thinking Allows for differentiation of content, process

and product. Can be tailored to most topics and allows for

student self-direction and engagement. (Quality Teaching Framework)

Research supports effectiveness.

You can find examples of units created by

other teachers at various places on the Web. Adapt Share Evaluate after use.

A few sites to get you started…

42 Grid example units

Rural and Distance Education NSW Library MSC English Faculty’s wiki – requires an email

to request. Kevin Cummins at EdGalaxy.com has a fun

unit available for Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Do a web search for more and remember… Adapt Share Evaluate!

42 Grid example units

Adapt, adapt, adapt!

Adapt existing programs to differentiate Work with school colleagues to combine

resources and share knowledge. Don’t feel you have to re-create the wheel

from scratch!

In school/local community

Faculty colleagues Other teaching colleagues Executive colleagues STLA/Student Learning Support Staff School Counsellor Teacher Librarian Parents

Collaborate!

Outside school…

English Teachers Association Facebook Group – an excellent resource of generous, skilled English teachers.

Twitter OzTweechers PLN Cybrary Man’s List of 300+ Twitter education

hashtags

Collaborate!