Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not as Hard as You Think

Education Week

11 Sept 201804:27

Summary

TLDRLarry Ferlazzo explains that differentiated instruction isn't about creating separate lessons for each student but rather adapting teaching in real-time to meet diverse student needs. He emphasizes the importance of understanding students' unique gifts and challenges, and using professional judgment to respond flexibly. Differentiation can be achieved in content, process, and product, such as allowing student choice in topics or modifying the way students work together. Ferlazzo shares practical examples, like engaging a disinterested student by connecting the lesson to his interest in football. He stresses that these strategies don't necessarily add extra work but require building relationships with students and fostering a class culture that values individualized learning.

Takeaways

📚 Differentiating instruction is a mindset, not just a set of preplanned strategies.
🤔 It involves making in-the-moment decisions based on understanding each student's unique needs.
🎯 The goal is to ensure fairness by recognizing and responding to the diverse gifts and challenges students bring.
📈 Differentiation can be applied in three key areas: content, process, and product.
📖 Content differentiation might involve giving students choices, such as selecting their own research topics.
👥 Process differentiation can include varying groupings and learning environments to suit different learners.
🎨 Product differentiation allows for varied forms of demonstrating learning, like visual representations instead of traditional essays.
👀 Keeping the main learning objectives in focus is crucial while differentiating instruction.
🤝 Building strong relationships with students helps in understanding their strengths and interests for effective differentiation.
💡 Flexibility in thinking and a strong class culture are essential for implementing differentiation strategies successfully.
🌟 Differentiation does not necessarily mean more work; it's about being creative and responsive to student needs.

Q & A

What does Larry Ferlazzo define as differentiation of instruction?
-Larry Ferlazzo defines differentiation of instruction as a way of thinking rather than a preplanned list of strategies. It involves making decisions in the moment based on recognizing students' different gifts and challenges.
Why does Ferlazzo argue that 'fair' doesn't always mean treating everyone equally in education?
-Ferlazzo argues that 'fair' doesn't always mean treating everyone equally because all students bring different gifts and challenges, and educators need to use their professional judgment to respond to these differences in their teaching.
According to Carol Tomlinson, in which three areas can teachers differentiate instruction?
-Carol Tomlinson suggests that teachers can differentiate instruction in three areas: content, process, and product.
How does student choice play a role in differentiating content?
-Student choice in differentiating content allows students to select their research topics or essay prompts, which can engage their interests and make learning more relevant to them.
What example does Ferlazzo give to illustrate differentiation by content?
-Ferlazzo gives the example of a student named John who was uninterested in writing an essay about natural disasters. To differentiate, Ferlazzo allowed John to write about why his favorite football team was the best, still following the guidelines of an argument essay.
How can teachers differentiate by process in the classroom?
-Teachers can differentiate by process by changing how they group students, using mixed ability groups or same ability groups, and by adjusting the learning environment to suit individual students' needs, such as allowing a student to sit on a desk to read if they tend to fall asleep.
What is an example of differentiating by product according to the transcript?
-An example of differentiating by product is allowing a student who likes to doodle to create a visual representation of key points discussed in class, instead of writing a traditional essay or taking a multiple-choice test.
Why does Ferlazzo suggest giving students an extra blank page on tests?
-Ferlazzo suggests giving students an extra blank page on tests to allow them to write anything else they remember about the topic, which can lead to better quality thinking and writing as students are more engaged and can express their understanding in their own words.
What does Ferlazzo emphasize as a prerequisite for successful differentiation strategies?
-Ferlazzo emphasizes that successful differentiation strategies require building relationships with students to understand their strengths, challenges, and interests, as well as demonstrating flexibility in thinking and a strong class culture.
How does Ferlazzo suggest that differentiation can be implemented without creating extra work for teachers?
-Ferlazzo suggests that differentiation can be implemented without extra work by leveraging students' interests, adjusting the learning environment, and utilizing students' natural inclinations, such as doodling, to enhance learning without adding to the teacher's workload.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Differentiated Instruction

Larry Ferlazzo introduces the concept of differentiated instruction, emphasizing that it's not about creating separate lessons for each student but rather a mindset of making in-the-moment decisions based on recognizing students' unique gifts and challenges. He explains that differentiation can be applied in three areas: content, process, and product. For content, he gives the example of allowing students to choose their research topics or essay prompts. The main learning objectives should always be in focus, as illustrated by an anecdote where a student is motivated to write his first essay by writing about his favorite football team instead of a natural disaster. The importance of maintaining a strong class culture that supports and understands the need for individualized treatment is also highlighted.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Differentiating instruction

Differentiating instruction refers to the practice of tailoring teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of learners in a classroom. It is not about creating entirely separate lessons for each student but rather adapting the content, process, and product of learning to suit individual strengths, interests, and challenges. In the video, Larry Ferlazzo emphasizes that differentiation is a mindset and approach rather than a rigid set of strategies. It involves making in-the-moment decisions to support students' learning effectively.

💡Fairness

In the context of the video, fairness is redefined to mean treating students equitably by acknowledging and addressing their unique needs. Larry Ferlazzo quotes Rick Wormeli to point out that treating everyone equally does not always mean being fair, as each student brings different gifts and challenges. The video illustrates how differentiated instruction can be a fair approach to teaching by providing examples of how to adapt lessons to engage students more effectively.

💡Content

Content, in the script, refers to the subject matter or information being taught. Carol Tomlinson's approach to differentiation suggests that content can be differentiated by offering student choice, such as allowing students to select their research topics or essay prompts. This strategy is exemplified in the video when Larry allows a student to write about football instead of natural disasters, keeping the learning objective intact while catering to the student's interest.

💡Process

Process in the video pertains to the methods or strategies used to facilitate learning. Differentiating by process might involve varying groupings of students or the ways in which they engage with the material. For instance, the video describes how changing the seating arrangement for a student who tends to fall asleep can be an effective way to support his learning, without compromising the learning objective.

💡Product

Product in the context of the video refers to the final output or demonstration of learning, such as essays, projects, or tests. Differentiating by product means allowing students to express their understanding in diverse ways, like creating visual representations or adding personal reflections on test papers. The video shares an example of a student who used her doodling to create a comprehensive project, showcasing the key points discussed in class.

💡Student choice

Student choice is a strategy within differentiated instruction that empowers students to make decisions about their learning. It can enhance engagement and motivation by connecting the content to the students' interests. In the video, Larry gives the example of allowing a student to write about his favorite football team as a way to learn how to write an argumentative essay, thus maintaining the learning objective while catering to the student's passion.

💡Learning objectives

Learning objectives are the intended outcomes or goals of a lesson or unit. The video underscores the importance of keeping these objectives in focus when differentiating instruction. Whether differentiating content, process, or product, the ultimate aim is to ensure that all students achieve the learning objectives, as illustrated by the various examples provided in the script.

💡Class culture

Class culture refers to the shared values, norms, and expectations within a classroom community. The video suggests that building a strong class culture is crucial for the success of differentiated instruction. It involves creating an environment where students understand and accept that差异化教学 strategies are implemented to ensure fairness and support diverse learning needs.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility in the video is portrayed as a key attribute of a teacher who practices differentiated instruction. It involves being adaptable and responsive to the varying needs of students in real-time. The script illustrates this through examples of teachers making on-the-spot decisions to adjust their teaching methods to better meet the needs of individual students.

💡Professional judgment

Professional judgment is the ability of educators to make informed decisions based on their expertise and understanding of their students. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as essential for effectively differentiating instruction. Teachers use their professional judgment to determine how to best respond to the diverse needs of their students, as exemplified by the various scenarios presented in the script.

💡Relationships

Building relationships with students is highlighted in the video as a prerequisite for successful differentiation. Knowing students' strengths, challenges, and interests allows teachers to make more informed decisions about how to differentiate instruction. The video implies that strong teacher-student relationships are foundational for implementing differentiated strategies that truly support student learning.

Highlights

Differentiating instruction is a mindset, not a preplanned list of strategies.

Fairness in education doesn't always mean treating everyone equally.

Educators should recognize and respond to students' different gifts and challenges.

Differentiation can occur in three areas: content, process, and product.

Student choice in content can be a form of differentiation, such as choosing research topics.

Maintaining focus on main learning objectives is crucial during differentiation.

An example of content differentiation: adapting essay topics to students' interests.

Differentiating by process can involve varying groupings of students.

Adapting the learning environment to suit individual needs can improve engagement.

Differentiating by product allows for varied forms of demonstrating learning.

An example of product differentiation: using doodles to represent key points.

Tests can be differentiated by allowing students to add their own notes.

Differentiation strategies do not necessarily create extra work for teachers.

Building relationships with students is key to successful differentiation.

Flexibility in thinking is required for implementing differentiation strategies.

A strong class culture supports differentiation and ensures fairness.

There are countless ways to support students' unique gifts and challenges.