Differentiated Instruction: Why, How, and Examples

Teachings in Education

30 Jul 201705:30

Summary

TLDRThis educational video emphasizes the importance of differentiated instruction to cater to diverse learning needs. It outlines the rationale, including varied learning styles and readiness levels, and provides a step-by-step strategy for implementing differentiation in classrooms. The video also discusses differentiation through content, process, and product, and highlights what administrators should look for in a differentiated classroom, such as student choice and personalized learning.

Takeaways

📚 Differentiated instruction is crucial for meeting the diverse needs of students in a classroom.
🧠 Research supports that individuals learn better through various modalities, which differentiated instruction can accommodate.
📈 It's important to vary the rigor of content to match students' performance and readiness levels.
🎭 Teachers should adjust activities to cater to varying levels of student engagement with the material.
🚫 Not all students learn the same material in the same timeframe, necessitating differentiation.
🧑‍🏫 Differentiation is essential for specific student groups, including those with disabilities and English language learners.
📝 Differentiated instruction should start with standards-based selection and involve diagnostic testing and learning style inventories.
🔄 Content delivery should be varied to suit different learning styles, interests, and readiness levels.
📊 Assessments and projects should be varied and aligned with the differentiated activities and content.
🔁 After assessments, it's important to review the standards with the whole class to reinforce learning.
🛠 The roadmap provided is not a rule but a guideline, encouraging educators to develop their own strategies for differentiation.
🌟 Examples of differentiation include varying content, process, and product, ensuring that all students can engage with the material effectively.
🏫 Administrators evaluating a differentiated classroom should look for choice in assignments, multiple texts, personalized learning, and acknowledgment of student learning styles.

Q & A

What is differentiated instruction?
-Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to meet the diverse needs of students, allowing educators to cater to different learning styles, readiness levels, and interests.
Why is it important to differentiate instruction?
-Differentiated instruction is important because research shows individuals learn better through various modalities, and it helps address the varying performance and readiness levels of students.
How does differentiated instruction cater to different learning styles?
-It allows educators to deliver content in multiple ways, such as through visual, auditory, or kinesthetic means, to suit the varied learning preferences of students.
What is the role of diagnostic testing in differentiated instruction?
-Diagnostic testing helps determine students' readiness and interests, which in turn informs the educator on how to differentiate the content and activities to meet individual needs.
Can you provide an example of differentiated content?
-Differentiated content might involve presenting some students with advanced functions on a standard while others focus on the basics, ensuring all students are working towards the same standard but at a pace that suits them.
How can the process of learning be differentiated?
-The process can be differentiated by creating activity tables, varying groupings based on readiness, and designing tasks that cater to different learning styles such as visual or auditory learners.
What does it mean to differentiate instruction as a product?
-Differentiating instruction as a product involves offering various types of assessments and projects that align with the differentiated activities and content, allowing for creativity and catering to different student strengths.
What should a school administrator look for in a differentiated classroom?
-Administrators should look for choice in student assignments, multiple texts being used, personalized learning experiences, varied assessment methods, and an acknowledgment of student learning styles.
Is there a specific roadmap to follow for differentiated instruction?
-While there is a suggested strategy mentioned in the script, it is emphasized that educators should develop their own ways to differentiate instruction based on their students' needs.
How does differentiated instruction benefit students with disabilities or English language learners?
-It allows for modifications and accommodations to be made to suit their specific needs, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility in the learning process.
What is the significance of offering multiple reading texts in a differentiated classroom?
-Offering multiple reading texts allows students to engage with content that interests them, enhancing engagement and comprehension, and supports the differentiation of content delivery.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Differentiated Instruction in Classrooms

This paragraph discusses the importance of differentiated instruction in the classroom. It emphasizes that individuals learn better when information is presented through various modalities. Differentiated instruction allows educators to cater to different learning styles, adjust the rigor of content to match student performance and readiness levels, and engage students with varying interests. The paragraph also highlights the need for differentiation for students with disabilities and English language learners. A strategy for implementing differentiated instruction is presented, which includes selecting standards, assessing readiness and interest, delivering varied content, engaging students in varied activities, and providing various assessments. The paragraph concludes by stating that the provided strategy is just one of many possible approaches and encourages educators to find their own methods.

05:03

🏫 Evaluating a Differentiated Classroom

The second paragraph focuses on how school administrators can evaluate a differentiated classroom. It mentions that administrators should look for choice in student assignments, the use of multiple texts, and a personalized learning environment where students' needs are met. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and teaching to multiple forms of intelligence and adapting to various student learning styles. The speaker thanks the audience for their time and encourages them to subscribe to the channel for more educational content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is an educational approach that involves tailoring teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of students in a classroom. It is central to the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of adapting instruction to cater to various learning styles, readiness levels, and interests. The script mentions that differentiated instruction should be standards-based and can involve varying content, process, and product to meet these diverse needs.

💡Learning Modalities

Learning modalities refer to the different ways in which individuals process and comprehend information. The video script suggests that differentiated instruction allows educators to cater to these varying modalities, thereby enhancing the learning experience. For example, some students might learn best through visual aids, while others might prefer auditory or kinesthetic methods.

💡Rigor

Rigor in the context of the video refers to the level of difficulty or complexity of the content being taught. Differentiating the rigor means adjusting the complexity of the material to match the performance and readiness level of the students. The script indicates that not all students are at the same readiness level, hence the need for varying the rigor of the content.

💡Engagement

Engagement, as discussed in the video, pertains to the level of interest and involvement students have in the learning process. Differentiated instruction aims to increase engagement by offering a variety of activities that appeal to different students. The script gives an example of teachers differentiating activities to match student interests, such as reading stories based on music or sports.

💡Macro Molecules

Although not a core concept of differentiated instruction, macro molecules serve as a specific content example in the script. The video uses teaching macro molecules to illustrate how differentiated instruction can be applied in practice, showing that some students might grasp the concept quickly while others may struggle, necessitating different instructional approaches.

💡Disabilities

The video script highlights the need for differentiation for students with disabilities, emphasizing that these students often require modifications and accommodations to access the curriculum effectively. This keyword underscores the video's message that differentiated instruction is inclusive and considers the unique needs of all students.

💡English Language Learners

English Language Learners (ELLs) are students who are learning English as a second language. The script mentions that differentiated instruction should also account for the needs of ELLs, suggesting that instruction should be adapted to support their language acquisition process and ensure they can access the curriculum.

💡Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic testing is a method used to assess a student's current knowledge or skill level at the beginning of a unit of study. In the context of the video, diagnostic testing is part of the process of determining readiness and interest, which informs how instruction will be differentiated. It helps teachers understand what each student knows and can do before moving forward with instruction.

💡Learning Styles Inventories

Learning styles inventories are tools used to identify a student's preferred learning modality. The video script suggests using these inventories early in units to help teachers understand how best to deliver content to different students. This keyword is integral to the video's theme of personalizing instruction to match individual learning preferences.

💡Varying Content

Varying content is a strategy within differentiated instruction that involves presenting the same standard or concept in different ways to suit different learning styles and interests. The script provides an example of delivering content related to functions for some students while others focus on the basics, illustrating how content can be varied to meet diverse needs.

💡Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is an educational approach that tailors the learning experience to each student's needs, strengths, and interests. The video script mentions that administrators should look for an overall feel of students having their needs met through personalized learning as a sign of effective differentiation. This keyword is closely tied to the video's main message of creating a responsive and inclusive classroom environment.

Highlights

Differentiated instruction is crucial for meeting diverse student needs.

Research shows individuals learn better through varied modalities.

Differentiated instruction caters to different learning styles.

Differentiating rigor is necessary due to varying student performance and readiness levels.

Student engagement varies, thus activities should be differentiated.

Not all students learn the same material in the same time period.

Differentiation is required for specific types of students, like those with disabilities and English language learners.

Instruction must be standards-based to differentiate effectively.

Diagnostic testing and learning style inventories help determine readiness and interest.

Content delivery should vary based on student learning styles and interests.

Students should work on varied activities post learning style assessment.

Assessments and projects should be aligned with differentiated activities and content.

Reviewing standards with the entire class is essential after assessments.

Differentiated instruction can be achieved through content, process, and product.

Differentiated content should relate to the same standard for all students.

The process of learning can be differentiated through various groupings and learning styles.

Differentiated instruction as a product offers various assessment types suited to different student groups.

A differentiated classroom offers choice in student assignments.

Multiple reading texts should be offered for a diverse classroom.

Personalized learning ensures students' needs are met.

Administrators monitor assessments to ensure varied evaluation methods.

Acknowledging and teaching to multiple intelligences is key in a differentiated classroom.