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Book Two:  60 Formative Assessment Strategies 

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Book Two:  60 Formative Assessment Strategies 

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http://www.stma.k12.mn.us/documents/DW/Q_Comp/FormativeAssessStrategies.pdf

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54 different examples of formative assessment.

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54 different examples of formative assessment.

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http://cmrweb.gfps.k12.mt.us/uploads/2/7/3/6/27366965/formative_assessment_ppt.pdf

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https://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/ExamplesofFormativeAssessment.html

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https://www.wested.org/online_pubs/resource1307.pdf

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http://edglossary.org/formative-assessment/

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Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support .

The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can be used to improve instruction and student learning while it's happening. What makes an assessment "formative" is not the design of a test, technique, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used-i.e., to inform in-process teaching and learning modifications.

Formative assessments are commonly contrasted with summative assessments, which are used to evaluate student learning progress and achievement at the conclusion of a specific instructional period-usually at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. In other words, formative assessments are for learning, while summative assessments are of learning. Or as assessment expert Paul Black put it, "When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative assessment. When the customer tastes the soup, that's summative assessment." It should be noted, however, that the distinction between formative and summative is often fuzzy in practice, and educators may hold divergent interpretations of and opinions on the subject.

Many educators and experts believe that formative assessment is an integral part of effective teaching. In contrast with most summative assessments, which are deliberately set apart from instruction, formative assessments are integrated into the teaching and learning process. For example, a formative-assessment technique could be as simple as a teacher asking students to raise their hands if they feel they have understood a newly introduced concept, or it could be as sophisticated as having students complete a self-assessment of their own writing (typically using a outlining the criteria) that the teacher then reviews and comments on. While formative assessments help teachers identify learning needs and problems, in many cases the assessments also help students develop a stronger understanding of their own academic strengths and weaknesses. When students know what they do well and what they need to work harder on, it can help them take greater responsibility over their own learning and academic progress.

While the same assessment technique or process could, in theory, be used for either formative or summative purposes, many summative assessments are unsuitable for formative purposes because they do not provide useful feedback. For example, standardized-test scores may not be available to teachers for months after their students take the test (so the results cannot be used to modify lessons or teaching and better prepare students), or the assessments may not be specific or fine-grained enough to give teachers and students the detailed information they need to improve.

The following are a few representative examples of formative assessments:

Questions that teachers pose to individual students and groups of students during the learning process to determine what specific concepts or skills they may be having trouble with. A wide variety of intentional questioning strategies may be employed, such as phrasing questions in specific ways to elicit more useful responses.

Specific, detailed, and constructive feedback that teachers provide on student work , such as journal entries, essays, worksheets, research papers, projects, ungraded quizzes, lab results, or works of art, design, and performance. The feedback may be used to revise or improve a work product, for example.

"Exit slips" or "exit tickets" that quickly collect student responses to a teacher's questions at the end of a lesson or class period. Based on what the responses indicate, the teacher can then modify the next lesson to address concepts that students have failed to comprehend or skills they may be struggling with. "Admit slips" are a similar strategy used at the beginning of a class or lesson to determine what students have retained from previous learning experiences .

Self-assessments that ask students to think about their own learning process, to reflect on what they do well or struggle with, and to articulate what they have learned or still need to learn to meet course expectations or learning standards.

Peer assessments that allow students to use one another as learning resources. For example, "workshopping" a piece of writing with classmates is one common form of peer assessment, particularly if students follow a rubric or guidelines provided by a teacher.

In addition to the reasons addressed above, educators may also use formative assessment to:

Refocus students on the learning process and its intrinsic value, rather than on grades or extrinsic rewards.

Encourage students to build on their strengths rather than fixate or dwell on their deficits. (For a related discussion, see growth mindset .)

Help students become more aware of their learning needs, strengths, and interests so they can take greater responsibility over their own educational growth. For example, students may learn how to self-assess their own progress and self-regulate their behaviors.

Give students more detailed, precise, and useful information. Because grades and test scores only provide a general impression of academic achievement, usually at the completion of an instructional period, formative feedback can help to clarify and calibrate learning expectations for both students and parents. Students gain a clearer understanding of what is expected of them, and parents have more detailed information they can use to more effectively support their child's education.

Raise or accelerate the educational achievement of all students, while also reducing learning gaps and achievement gaps .

Reform

While the formative-assessment concept has only existed since the 1960s, educators have arguably been using "formative assessments" in various forms since the invention of teaching. As an intentional school-improvement strategy, however, formative assessment has received growing attention from educators and researchers in recent decades. In fact, it is now widely considered to be one of the more effective instructional strategies used by teachers, and there is a growing body of literature and academic research on the topic.

Schools are now more likely to encourage or require teachers to use formative-assessment strategies in the classroom, and there are a growing number of professional-development opportunities available to educators on the subject. Formative assessments are also integral components of personalized learning and other educational strategies designed to tailor lessons and instruction to the distinct learning needs and interests of individual students.

Debate

While there is relatively little disagreement in the education community about the utility of formative assessment, debates or disagreements may stem from differing interpretations of the term. For example, some educators believe the term is loosely applied to forms of assessment that are not "truly" formative, while others believe that formative assessment is rarely used appropriately or effectively in the classroom.

Another common debate is whether formative assessments can or should be graded. Many educators contend that formative assessments can only be considered truly formative when they are ungraded and used exclusively to improve student learning. If grades are assigned to a quiz, test, project, or other work product, the reasoning goes, they become de facto summative assessments-i.e., the act of assigning a grade turns the assessment into a performance evaluation that is documented in a student's academic record, as opposed to a diagnostic strategy used to improve student understanding and preparation before they are given a graded test or assignment.

Some educators also make a distinction between "pure" formative assessments-those that are used on a daily basis by teachers while they are instructing students-and "interim" or "benchmark" assessments, which are typically periodic or quarterly assessments used to determine where students are in their learning progress or whether they are on track to meeting expected learning standards. While some educators may argue that any assessment method that is used diagnostically could be considered formative, including interim assessments, others contend that these two forms of assessment should remain distinct, given that different strategies, techniques, and professional development may be required.

Some proponents of formative assessment also suspect that testing companies mislabel and market some interim standardized tests as "formative" to capitalize on and profit from the popularity of the idea. Some observers express skepticism that commercial or prepackaged products can be authentically formative, arguing that formative assessment is a sophisticated instructional technique, and to do it well requires both a first-hand understanding of the students being assessed and sufficient training and professional development.

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Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet ...

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 Tools for Formative Assessment - - Techniques to Check for Understanding - - Processing Activities - 

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 Tools for Formative Assessment - - Techniques to Check for Understanding - - Processing Activities - 

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http://www.levy.k12.fl.us/instruction/instructional_tools/60formativeassessment.pdf

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Six Activities for Generating Enthusiasm in the Foreign Language Classroom

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Six Activities for Generating Enthusiasm in the Foreign Language Classroom

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http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Ambard-Enthusiasm.html

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Ambard - Six Activities for Generating Enthusiasm in the Foreign LanguageClassroom (TESL/TEFL)

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These activities can be easily adapted to fit a wide array of academic settings from elementary students through adult language learners.

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Teachers.Net - FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSON PLANS - Foreign Language lesson plans for elementary teachers. Free printables and classroom reproducibles.

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Teachers.Net - FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSON PLANS - Foreign Language lesson plans for elementary teachers. Free printables and classroom reproducibles.

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Teachers.Net - FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSON PLANS - Foreign Language lesson plans for elementary teachers. Free printables and classroom reproducibles.

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Teachers.Net features free Foreign Language lesson plans. Foreign Language printables, Foreign Language worksheets, and more. Free teaching materials and educational resources for Foreign Language teachers.

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World Language / Teaching Diverse Learners/ Differentiated Instruction

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World Language / Teaching Diverse Learners/ Differentiated Instruction

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World Language / Teaching Diverse Learners/ Differentiated Instruction

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps - The FLTMAG | The FLTMAG

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps - The FLTMAG | The FLTMAG

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph .D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)

The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students. Differentiated instruction capitalizes on the readiness levels, learning styles and personal interests of learners (Blaz, 2006) and allows teachers to engage with these diverse factors. Recent developments in the mobile learning environment offer a wealth of opportunity to differentiate activities and best meet learners' needs.

DIFFERENTIATING CONTENT, PROCESS AND PRODUCT

We all vary our teaching to accommodate learner differences, thus improving their ability to better connect with and process our materials. We can differentiate, or vary, three components of our instruction: content, process and product. When we adapt content, we adjust what we present to learners or how they access the new information based on their interests, learning preferences, or knowledge of the topic. Differentiating instructional content involves varying the topic, proficiency levels and type of content (texts, audio, or video). When we adapt the process, we adjust activities to allow learners to use different cognitive skills ranging from memorization to creation, often based on Bloom's taxonomy. When we adapt the product, we offer learners an alternative means to demonstrate their learning. Demonstration of learning outcomes takes a variety of forms such as performances, written and oral presentations, debates, or projects such as the creation of short videos. However, we don't have to vary all three components in the same lesson with the same learner. We can make informed choices about when, what and how we will differentiate, for whom and how often. By varying these three dimensions of our teaching, we offer a flexible learning environment that improves our ability to meet the needs of diverse learners.

ADDRESSING LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS TO DIFFERENTIATE ACTIVITIES

Learners are all different. There are the typical diversity factors of gender, culture, ethnicity and race that are often used to characterize learner differences. However, going beyond these differences, every learner brings a myriad of background knowledge, strengths, preferences, personality, cognitive styles, and motivational factors to the classroom. Accommodating learner differences requires that we take the time not only to get to know them individually, but also to consider how their characteristics and diversity can inform our teaching. As part of meeting curriculum standards, offering differentiated activities throughout a course program benefits all learners as it both supports them and challenges them where needed. As teachers, we know to adjust our teaching practice to accommodate students and we may feel comfortable with differentiation in the traditional classroom. However, the conventional classroom is constantly evolving. Differentiated instruction is not a new practice and mobile technology is now an integral part of our personal and professional lives. Yet as teachers, it is likely we have not yet explored how to incorporate mobile technology tools into our classroom practice as a means of differentiating instruction to address learner differences.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Mobile learning technologies, particularly apps, can be a central tool in diversifying language instruction to address learner differences. Through apps, learners can access authentic target language content, create personalized products, and share information from anywhere while taking advantage of the adaptability of mobile apps and communication tools. Similarly, teachers can create podcasts, video or visual content on a variety of topics in the target language using apps such as Pocket WavePad for audio recording or Near Pod for video creation. Teachers can then share their presentations with learners via social media apps or file management apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, GoodReader and so on. Such teacher-created, semi-authentic or authentic content can enrich the language learning experience in multiple ways as learners engage with different types and levels of content and topics. For teachers, important factors to consider are: the possibilities for content delivery to multiple learners, the variety of ways learners can be asked to process that content, and the opportunities for demonstration of learning through productio. For example, there are a number of mobile apps that allow language learners to practice vocabulary, grammar, writing, and pronunciation based on their interests and level. This enables mobile language learners to personalize their learning experience and scaffold it based on their needs and level of proficiency. Our skills and creativity in matching the appropriate tools with our learners' needs promises to have a significant impact on the quality of the foreign language learning experience. It is also helpful to view mobile apps that support language learning as existing within a continuum of interaction, modalities, and mobility ranging from asynchronous self-directed learning with little or no direct interaction on one end of the scale, to interactive synchronous video conferencing on the other end of the scale. We, as teachers, must not only focus on pedagogy, but also be able to select and match the appropriate instructional technology tools to the diverse needs of our students in order to facilitate their learning.

Table 1: Mobile Apps for Differentiation in the Foreign Language Classroom***

Differentiating Content Apps

Target Language (TL) News Apps;

TL Television Station Apps: Viki, BBC, CNN;

Video Apps for TL Lessons/Cultural Content: YouTube, Video Tube;

TL Podcasts/Vodcasts: NPR;

Video/Content Storage and Sharing: Google Drive, Dropbox, Vine;

Image Apps for TL Country Culture/Geography;

Maps for Practicing Directions/Learning Geography;

TL Weather Apps;

TL Vocabulary/Grammar Apps;

TL Reading or Accessing PDF Content: Kindle/iBooks & Adobe Reader.

Differentiating Process Apps (supporting process and collaboration)

Video Conferencing/Chatting: Skype, Google Hangout, FaceTime, Adobe Connect;

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and various messaging/texting TL apps;

Collaborative Creation/Annotation Tools: Google Docs/Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, GoodReader & Documents by Readdle.

Differentiating Products Apps

Presenting: Keynote**, Prezi, Nearpod, Glogster;

Create Written Content: Evernote, Pages**, Google Docs/Drive, notepad apps;

Create eBook: iBook author, Scrivener, Evernote;**

Storypatch**, Book Creator;

Create Blogs: Posterous, Tumblr, TypePad, WordPress;

Create Audio: Pocket WavePad, Audio Memos, Voice Memos;

Create Drawings & Images: SuperNote;

Create Drawings/Charts/Tables;

Create Videos: Smart Voice Recorder & Power Recorder**.

** indicate 'paid apps.' It is recommended that teachers check the availability of free apps and compatibility with mobile operating systems among students' devices.

***This list is representative of common apps for differentiating content, process and product. Many other apps are available.

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH MOBILE APPS

How we assist learners to achieve particular learning objectives will depend on a variety of factors such as content, class size, lesson length, and learner variables. The following is an example of how to effectively use mobile apps to adapt a communicative activity by differentiating content, process and product.

Table 2: Sample Activities: Health - Eating Nuts

Content
Read this article. You'd like to share this story with your friend. Using Twitter, briefly explain to your friend why this is interesting and send them the link

Watch the interview embedded in this article. You'd like to make health recommendations to your classmates. Based on the interview, list and compare how different types of nuts improve health using the chart via the 'Pages' 'Google Documents' or 'Notes' app available on your device.

Listen to this news story. You'd like to share a summary of this story with your grandparents to improve their health. Skype with your "grandparents" and paraphrase the story using examples. Your classmate will play the role of your grandparents. Take turns.

Process
Interview: Create interview questions for your classmates related to the news article. Ask your classmates to record their responses using the Pocket WavePad app or another voice recording app.

Blog: Respond to the news report using the app for the class blog. Comment on classmates' postings.

Report: Make a short news report about the benefits of eating nuts using a video recording app on your device.

Products
Create an E-Poster:Based on the interview results, create a poster in the Glogster app to promote a healthy diet. Be sure to add an audio/video file using WavePad or a video recording app.

Create a Video Clip: As a chef, introduce healthy recipes that include nuts. In groups, create a short video clip recording your cooking instructions. Share the video with your classmates in Google Drive.

Role-Play: Have a conversation with your friend and offer your personal advice for a healthy diet and lifestyle.Record your role-play using the Wave Pad app.

DIFFERENTIATED GROUP WORK

The choice to allocate learners to particular groups can be based on your goals for each learner: reinforce weak skills or leverage strong ones. For example, learners who have weak listening skills can be asked to watch a video interview related to a news topic as the video provides visual support (images or gestures) for the audio. Learners who have strong listening skills can be assigned to the group that just listens to the radio story about the same topic. Without visual support, they will be forced to rely fully on their listening comprehension skills. Learners who need more visual support can be assigned to the group asked to read the article. Conversely, learners can be assigned to groups that allow them to leverage their strengths, placing them in their comfort zone first and then challenging them later. To process content differently, students in groups can be assigned different mobile apps. For example, voice or video recording apps are used for short exchanges, summarizing or giving instructions, while blogging apps are used for critiquing others' opinions. Thus, different mobile apps help students capitalize on their strengths in different skill areas such as writing or speaking, thus allowing learners to work across different cognitive levels. Another way students can process content at various levels is to ask one group to summarize or restate the news story, while a second group interprets the information and makes recommendations. The final outcome for each group is distinct, utilizes different tools to share the information they received from the news sources, and replicates how such information would likely be shared in real-life (e.g. Twitter, Skype, Google Drive, etc). Again, the choice of which students to assign to which task is based on the skills you want your students to build upon, or the amount of scaffolding you wish to provide.

GUIDELINES FOR DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES USING MOBILE APPS

We suggest some guidelines to implement differentiated activities using mobile apps both in and outside the classroom. Although they won't apply to every context and lesson, they are general considerations to bear in mind.

1. Catalog your apps into the following three categories (for further examples, see Table 1 Mobile Apps for Differentiated Activities): Content Apps: offer content through various modes. Identify target language apps that offer authentic materials suitable for various levels of students. Use them regularly to expose students to various types of input such as target language texts, images, audio, and video content. Target language news apps, video apps, or podcasts are good sources of authentic materials and culture. Process Apps: facilitate interaction and collaboration. Identify the different levels of cognitive skills that need to be addressed in learning activities, from low order thinking skills (i.e. remembering) to high order thinking skills (i.e. creating) and define the purpose of the activities. Then, select appropriate apps to differentiate the learning process. Product Apps: diversify the demonstration of learning outcomes. Identify the apps/tools that allow learners to create content in various forms such as photo apps, writing apps, or audio/video recording apps, etc.

2. Norms for the use of mobile devices should be set at the beginning of the program with all learners and the teacher(s). Both parties must agree to what is allowed and what is prohibited. Through co-constructing such norms, learners' preferences and learner autonomy are supported.

3. Explain the rationale for using mobile apps to learners; learners will be more invested in using them if they understand how they support language learning.

4. Monitor learners' activities during the entirety of the class. Providing clear instruction at the beginning of an activity is critical to guide learners in effectively using their mobile devices and apps.

5. In all stages of the lesson, try to replicate real life situations. For example, when do native speakers use Skype or FaceTime? How do they use different communication apps? For what purposes? This process will help teachers select the appropriate tool to facilitate interaction and collaboration. This will also create authentic activities from the learners' perspectives.

6. Maintain consistency and regularly recycle familiar apps; constantly introducing new apps may turn the focus away from language learning and will unnecessarily waste time.

7. Vary grouping strategies regularly by utilizing individual, pair and group work. You may also group students according to interests, language level, and skill strengths.

CONCLUSION

Using mobile apps for differentiated activities not only supports learning but also meets the needs and interests of learners in the digital-age, increasing their engagement with and motivation for learning foreign languages. With the help of mobile apps, learners can take control of their learning process and learning outcomes while collaborating with their peers. In addition, differentiated activities using mobile apps empowers learners to personalize and process their learning content and demonstrate their learning progress. When the selection and use of mobiles apps are pedagogically sound, both learners and teachers can engage in a highly interactive and collaborative learning environment.

REFERENCES

Blaz, Deborah, Differentiated Instruction: A guide for foreign language teachers ( Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, 2006).

Carol Ann Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. (Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1999).

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps - The FLTMAG

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph.D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students.

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Jane Cook’s Synthesis of The Differentiated Classroom:  Responding to the Needs of all Learners by Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Jane Cook’s Synthesis of The Differentiated Classroom:  Responding to the Needs of all Learners by Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Synthesis of The Differentiated Classroom for 9-28-05

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The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all learners (2nd ed.) [sample chapters] - C. Tomlinson

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The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all learners (2nd ed.) [sample chapters] - C. Tomlinson

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http://www.ascd.org/ascd/pdf/siteascd/publications/books/differentiated-classroom2nd-sample-chapters.pdf

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The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all learners - C. Tomlinson

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The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all learners - C. Tomlinson

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http://www.principals.in/uploads/pdf/educational_theory/Differentiated_Classroom.pdf

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http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesDI/Brochures/DIBrochureOct08.pdf

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A Language Teacher's Guide to Differentiated Instruction

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A Language Teacher's Guide to Differentiated Instruction

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http://linguistics.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Walker-Wanda-Aug-15.pdf

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Differentiating Instruction in EFL Classrooms in Secondary Education

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Differentiating Instruction in EFL Classrooms in Secondary Education

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Differentiating Instruction in EFL Classrooms in Secondary Education

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Differentiating Instruction in EFL Classrooms in Secondary Education

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http://www.fulbright.fi/sites/default/files/Liitetiedostot/Stipendiohjelmat/Suomalaisille/da_fy15_inquiry_project_pohtola_finland.pdf

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How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms

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How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/video/The_Common_Sense_of_Differentiation.pdf

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/assessment-and-di-whitepaper.pdf

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Evaluating Differentiation of Learning in Reading Instruction

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Evaluating Differentiation of Learning in Reading Instruction

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196503_veatch.pdf

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At work in the differentiated classroom - facilitator's guide

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At work in the differentiated classroom - facilitator's guide

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/video/AtWorkintheDifferentiatedClassroom.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/books/stricklandAT2009_planning_a_tiered_activity.pdf

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Mapping a route toeward differentiated instruction

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Mapping a route toeward differentiated instruction

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el199909_tomlinson.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/Characteristics-of-Differentiated-Instruction_infographic.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198202_cawelti.pdf

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Differentiating Instruction in the AP Spanish Classroom

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Differentiating Instruction in the AP Spanish Classroom

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http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner/50531.html

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AP Central - Education Professionals - The College Board

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Course materials, exam information, and professional development opportunities for AP teachers and coordinators.

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom

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http://calicospanish.com/differentiated-instruction-in-the-world-language-classroom/

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Thanks to everyone for joining us for Thursday's #langchat, and thanks especially to our moderators, Erica Fischer (@CalicoTeach) and Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell (@SECottrell). The summary is a little bit late this week but is loaded with great information and some interesting discussion!

Our topic was "How can we differentiate instruction in World Language classes?" The hour-long chat was a fascinating mix of theory and practical tips on differentiated instruction, but also covered several other interesting subjects such as goal setting in the classroom. Go here to check out the full archive, or read the summary below for all the main points.

- Follow the blog on Bloglovin -

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

Participants shared many personal definitions of differentiation, all of which had a similar theme: students have different needs and favored learning methods. Differentiating involves matching your teaching methods to students' needs and providing students with multiple options and paths for learning. It's important not to change your methods for the sake of variety, however; the focus should be on the students' learning, not on the teacher's instruction - @tmsaue1 calls this "differentiated learning."

Why Do We Differentiate Our Instruction?

As students learn in different ways, addressing their different methods ensures that all students are challenged and engaged to learn. Several participants mentioned that differentiating your instruction also helps to increase students' motivation by providing different activities and objectives that keep and attract their interest. In addition to variety keeping the kids interested, letting students choose their own learning paths and activities gives them the chance to choose the path that motivates them the most (@SECottrell).

Choosing and completing work that motivates them can improve their confidence. In addition, @esantacruz13 mentioned that taking the time to get to know students and what works for them also improves students' confidence.

- Like Calico Spanish on Facebook -

How Can We Differentiate in the Classroom?

Our moderator, @CalicoTeach, asked "What should we do every day to differentiate instruction?" One of the critical points brought up by @SECottrell is that world language teachers should always act like we believe every child can succeed. The most important factor in learning a language is motivation, not ability.

After establishing this mindset, @mmebrady thinks we can provide different options for learning activities. Here we should let students choose both what and how they learn. Also, it's a good idea to implement different learning methods in activities to appeal to multiple students. Even just using the four elements of a foreign language - reading, writing, listening and speaking - is a good way to address students' different learning styles.

Another way to differentiate your teaching methods is to pick one of the multiple intelligences per day to reach specifically, though not exclusively (@pamwesely). Also, try letting one student be the "star student" for the week, which lets this student pick some activities and goals for the week with the teacher. Another suggestion is to have small groups of students work on the next project, and the whole class votes on the best project to actually do.

Differentiated Instruction through Student Goals

A key element of effective differentiated instruction is to let students choose their own language learning goals for the classroom with the teacher as a facilitator. When discussing goals, remember that goal setting is a learned skill. The best way to start setting language-learning goals is for the teacher to model the process first (@tmsaue1). It's ok to discuss goals for language learning in English - it's unlikely, especially at beginner and intermediate levels, that students have the target language skills to discuss their learning objectives in the language.

To help students feel comfortable setting their own goals and providing feedback on what works, try to cultivate an environment that encourages communication and sharing. Remember that not all students are at the same ages or levels of development (@pamwesely). Asking some students to create their own goals may work; with others it might not. Reasons vary, but students may just be too shy to give feedback publicly. @tmsaue1 suggests giving students opportunities for quiet feedback, such as exit slips or at-home surveys.

A potential issue with student-created goals is that many students might not know the best way to learn or what they want to learn (@pamwesely). It's the teacher's responsibility to provide the necessary support and motivation so that students can make an educated decision on what and how to learn in the classroom. One way to do this is to communicate proficiency standards with students so that their goals match; not doing so could lead students to set goals that are too high and that may lead to disappointment (@tmsaue1). @klafrench created goals with her students by starting with established proficiency standards and picking out key words to include in the class goals.

Worksheets and other activities can help students set goals, too. Before every unit, @MmeNero has students fill out a traffic light document with learning objectives divided by language skills. Students appreciate knowing what the end goal is.

- Follow Calico Spanish on Twitter -

Problems with Differentiated Instruction

One of the major problems with differentiated instruction is its popularity with educators. As it's become a sort of buzzword, many teachers and educators may be tempted to believe that simply changing up their teaching methods will be enough to bring a different style of learning to their students. Don't fall into this trap! Always have a reason for any changes in teaching methods, and it's a good idea to gather student feedback as you go.

Some students might assume certain learning methods won't work for them, too. We need to help those students try these ways (@CalicoTeach). As facilitators, our job isn't just to give students the information they need to make decisions; we should also push students to continuously challenge themselves.

However, teachers must be careful not to get too involved. @MmeJonesy indicated that it's sometimes difficult to listen to what students want - teachers often have their own agendas they want to pursue. It's not easy to leave decisions such as these up to students, but it's integral to differentiated and student-centered learning. At the same time, goals and paths aren't necessarily good just because the students' helped to pick them themselves, so we need to walk a fine line between too much teacher influence and not enough (@pamwesely).

Finally, we need to make a distinction between differentiating and individualizing our teaching; @tmsaue1 asks is it really possible to address the needs of 150+ students? While an abundance of planning time would make this possible, few teachers have that luxury. It's therefore important to be aware that you cannot hope to cater to the individual needs of every student yourself; this makes student-created goals and other student inputs all the more essential.

- Follow us on Instagram too! -

Resources

Thanks again to all the participants of Thursday's #langchat - the archives show that this was one fast-paced and interesting discussion, with views from all angles. If you missed out, join us for the next chat on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EST. Be sure to monitor the #langchat hashtag during the week to take part in the vote on our next topic, or visit our Google Docs page to suggest a topic of your own. Also, check out our wiki at http://www.langchat.pbworks.com/.

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom | Calico Spanish

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Thanks to everyone for joining us for Thursday's #langchat, and thanks especially to our moderators, Erica Fischer (@CalicoTeach) and Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell (@SECottrell). The summary is a little bit late this week but is loaded with great information and some interesting discussion! Our topic was "How can we differentiate instruction in World Language classes?"

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Differentiation in the Language Classroom

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Differentiation in the Language Classroom

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https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/TLEsamples/TLE_Aug11_Article.pdf

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps

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http://fltmag.com/differentiated-activities-using-mobile-apps/

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph .D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)

The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students. Differentiated instruction capitalizes on the readiness levels, learning styles and personal interests of learners (Blaz, 2006) and allows teachers to engage with these diverse factors. Recent developments in the mobile learning environment offer a wealth of opportunity to differentiate activities and best meet learners' needs.

DIFFERENTIATING CONTENT, PROCESS AND PRODUCT

We all vary our teaching to accommodate learner differences, thus improving their ability to better connect with and process our materials. We can differentiate, or vary, three components of our instruction: content, process and product. When we adapt content, we adjust what we present to learners or how they access the new information based on their interests, learning preferences, or knowledge of the topic. Differentiating instructional content involves varying the topic, proficiency levels and type of content (texts, audio, or video). When we adapt the process, we adjust activities to allow learners to use different cognitive skills ranging from memorization to creation, often based on Bloom's taxonomy. When we adapt the product, we offer learners an alternative means to demonstrate their learning. Demonstration of learning outcomes takes a variety of forms such as performances, written and oral presentations, debates, or projects such as the creation of short videos. However, we don't have to vary all three components in the same lesson with the same learner. We can make informed choices about when, what and how we will differentiate, for whom and how often. By varying these three dimensions of our teaching, we offer a flexible learning environment that improves our ability to meet the needs of diverse learners.

ADDRESSING LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS TO DIFFERENTIATE ACTIVITIES

Learners are all different. There are the typical diversity factors of gender, culture, ethnicity and race that are often used to characterize learner differences. However, going beyond these differences, every learner brings a myriad of background knowledge, strengths, preferences, personality, cognitive styles, and motivational factors to the classroom. Accommodating learner differences requires that we take the time not only to get to know them individually, but also to consider how their characteristics and diversity can inform our teaching. As part of meeting curriculum standards, offering differentiated activities throughout a course program benefits all learners as it both supports them and challenges them where needed. As teachers, we know to adjust our teaching practice to accommodate students and we may feel comfortable with differentiation in the traditional classroom. However, the conventional classroom is constantly evolving. Differentiated instruction is not a new practice and mobile technology is now an integral part of our personal and professional lives. Yet as teachers, it is likely we have not yet explored how to incorporate mobile technology tools into our classroom practice as a means of differentiating instruction to address learner differences.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Mobile learning technologies, particularly apps, can be a central tool in diversifying language instruction to address learner differences. Through apps, learners can access authentic target language content, create personalized products, and share information from anywhere while taking advantage of the adaptability of mobile apps and communication tools. Similarly, teachers can create podcasts, video or visual content on a variety of topics in the target language using apps such as Pocket WavePad for audio recording or Near Pod for video creation. Teachers can then share their presentations with learners via social media apps or file management apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, GoodReader and so on. Such teacher-created, semi-authentic or authentic content can enrich the language learning experience in multiple ways as learners engage with different types and levels of content and topics. For teachers, important factors to consider are: the possibilities for content delivery to multiple learners, the variety of ways learners can be asked to process that content, and the opportunities for demonstration of learning through productio. For example, there are a number of mobile apps that allow language learners to practice vocabulary, grammar, writing, and pronunciation based on their interests and level. This enables mobile language learners to personalize their learning experience and scaffold it based on their needs and level of proficiency. Our skills and creativity in matching the appropriate tools with our learners' needs promises to have a significant impact on the quality of the foreign language learning experience. It is also helpful to view mobile apps that support language learning as existing within a continuum of interaction, modalities, and mobility ranging from asynchronous self-directed learning with little or no direct interaction on one end of the scale, to interactive synchronous video conferencing on the other end of the scale. We, as teachers, must not only focus on pedagogy, but also be able to select and match the appropriate instructional technology tools to the diverse needs of our students in order to facilitate their learning.

Table 1: Mobile Apps for Differentiation in the Foreign Language Classroom***

Differentiating Content Apps

Target Language (TL) News Apps;

TL Television Station Apps: Viki, BBC, CNN;

Video Apps for TL Lessons/Cultural Content: YouTube, Video Tube;

TL Podcasts/Vodcasts: NPR;

Video/Content Storage and Sharing: Google Drive, Dropbox, Vine;

Image Apps for TL Country Culture/Geography;

Maps for Practicing Directions/Learning Geography;

TL Weather Apps;

TL Vocabulary/Grammar Apps;

TL Reading or Accessing PDF Content: Kindle/iBooks & Adobe Reader.

Differentiating Process Apps (supporting process and collaboration)

Video Conferencing/Chatting: Skype, Google Hangout, FaceTime, Adobe Connect;

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and various messaging/texting TL apps;

Collaborative Creation/Annotation Tools: Google Docs/Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, GoodReader & Documents by Readdle.

Differentiating Products Apps

Presenting: Keynote**, Prezi, Nearpod, Glogster;

Create Written Content: Evernote, Pages**, Google Docs/Drive, notepad apps;

Create eBook: iBook author, Scrivener, Evernote;**

Storypatch**, Book Creator;

Create Blogs: Posterous, Tumblr, TypePad, WordPress;

Create Audio: Pocket WavePad, Audio Memos, Voice Memos;

Create Drawings & Images: SuperNote;

Create Drawings/Charts/Tables;

Create Videos: Smart Voice Recorder & Power Recorder**.

** indicate 'paid apps.' It is recommended that teachers check the availability of free apps and compatibility with mobile operating systems among students' devices.

***This list is representative of common apps for differentiating content, process and product. Many other apps are available.

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH MOBILE APPS

How we assist learners to achieve particular learning objectives will depend on a variety of factors such as content, class size, lesson length, and learner variables. The following is an example of how to effectively use mobile apps to adapt a communicative activity by differentiating content, process and product.

Table 2: Sample Activities: Health - Eating Nuts

Content
Read this article. You'd like to share this story with your friend. Using Twitter, briefly explain to your friend why this is interesting and send them the link

Watch the interview embedded in this article. You'd like to make health recommendations to your classmates. Based on the interview, list and compare how different types of nuts improve health using the chart via the 'Pages' 'Google Documents' or 'Notes' app available on your device.

Listen to this news story. You'd like to share a summary of this story with your grandparents to improve their health. Skype with your "grandparents" and paraphrase the story using examples. Your classmate will play the role of your grandparents. Take turns.

Process
Interview: Create interview questions for your classmates related to the news article. Ask your classmates to record their responses using the Pocket WavePad app or another voice recording app.

Blog: Respond to the news report using the app for the class blog. Comment on classmates' postings.

Report: Make a short news report about the benefits of eating nuts using a video recording app on your device.

Products
Create an E-Poster:Based on the interview results, create a poster in the Glogster app to promote a healthy diet. Be sure to add an audio/video file using WavePad or a video recording app.

Create a Video Clip: As a chef, introduce healthy recipes that include nuts. In groups, create a short video clip recording your cooking instructions. Share the video with your classmates in Google Drive.

Role-Play: Have a conversation with your friend and offer your personal advice for a healthy diet and lifestyle.Record your role-play using the Wave Pad app.

DIFFERENTIATED GROUP WORK

The choice to allocate learners to particular groups can be based on your goals for each learner: reinforce weak skills or leverage strong ones. For example, learners who have weak listening skills can be asked to watch a video interview related to a news topic as the video provides visual support (images or gestures) for the audio. Learners who have strong listening skills can be assigned to the group that just listens to the radio story about the same topic. Without visual support, they will be forced to rely fully on their listening comprehension skills. Learners who need more visual support can be assigned to the group asked to read the article. Conversely, learners can be assigned to groups that allow them to leverage their strengths, placing them in their comfort zone first and then challenging them later. To process content differently, students in groups can be assigned different mobile apps. For example, voice or video recording apps are used for short exchanges, summarizing or giving instructions, while blogging apps are used for critiquing others' opinions. Thus, different mobile apps help students capitalize on their strengths in different skill areas such as writing or speaking, thus allowing learners to work across different cognitive levels. Another way students can process content at various levels is to ask one group to summarize or restate the news story, while a second group interprets the information and makes recommendations. The final outcome for each group is distinct, utilizes different tools to share the information they received from the news sources, and replicates how such information would likely be shared in real-life (e.g. Twitter, Skype, Google Drive, etc). Again, the choice of which students to assign to which task is based on the skills you want your students to build upon, or the amount of scaffolding you wish to provide.

GUIDELINES FOR DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES USING MOBILE APPS

We suggest some guidelines to implement differentiated activities using mobile apps both in and outside the classroom. Although they won't apply to every context and lesson, they are general considerations to bear in mind.

1. Catalog your apps into the following three categories (for further examples, see Table 1 Mobile Apps for Differentiated Activities): Content Apps: offer content through various modes. Identify target language apps that offer authentic materials suitable for various levels of students. Use them regularly to expose students to various types of input such as target language texts, images, audio, and video content. Target language news apps, video apps, or podcasts are good sources of authentic materials and culture. Process Apps: facilitate interaction and collaboration. Identify the different levels of cognitive skills that need to be addressed in learning activities, from low order thinking skills (i.e. remembering) to high order thinking skills (i.e. creating) and define the purpose of the activities. Then, select appropriate apps to differentiate the learning process. Product Apps: diversify the demonstration of learning outcomes. Identify the apps/tools that allow learners to create content in various forms such as photo apps, writing apps, or audio/video recording apps, etc.

2. Norms for the use of mobile devices should be set at the beginning of the program with all learners and the teacher(s). Both parties must agree to what is allowed and what is prohibited. Through co-constructing such norms, learners' preferences and learner autonomy are supported.

3. Explain the rationale for using mobile apps to learners; learners will be more invested in using them if they understand how they support language learning.

4. Monitor learners' activities during the entirety of the class. Providing clear instruction at the beginning of an activity is critical to guide learners in effectively using their mobile devices and apps.

5. In all stages of the lesson, try to replicate real life situations. For example, when do native speakers use Skype or FaceTime? How do they use different communication apps? For what purposes? This process will help teachers select the appropriate tool to facilitate interaction and collaboration. This will also create authentic activities from the learners' perspectives.

6. Maintain consistency and regularly recycle familiar apps; constantly introducing new apps may turn the focus away from language learning and will unnecessarily waste time.

7. Vary grouping strategies regularly by utilizing individual, pair and group work. You may also group students according to interests, language level, and skill strengths.

CONCLUSION

Using mobile apps for differentiated activities not only supports learning but also meets the needs and interests of learners in the digital-age, increasing their engagement with and motivation for learning foreign languages. With the help of mobile apps, learners can take control of their learning process and learning outcomes while collaborating with their peers. In addition, differentiated activities using mobile apps empowers learners to personalize and process their learning content and demonstrate their learning progress. When the selection and use of mobiles apps are pedagogically sound, both learners and teachers can engage in a highly interactive and collaborative learning environment.

REFERENCES

Blaz, Deborah, Differentiated Instruction: A guide for foreign language teachers ( Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, 2006).

Carol Ann Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. (Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1999).

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps - The FLTMAG

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph.D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students.

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom:
Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom:
Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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https://www.sedl.org/loteced/communique/n06.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWKxpCv1Fw

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AN ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES USED BY MIDDLE
SCHOOL TEACHERS IN HETERGENEOUSLY GROUPED CLASSROOMS 

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AN ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES USED BY MIDDLE
SCHOOL TEACHERS IN HETERGENEOUSLY GROUPED CLASSROOMS 

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https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncw/f/hobsonm2008-1.pdf

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					Differentiate your plans to fit your students 
				
			
		

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					Differentiate your plans to fit your students 
				
			
		

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http://teachingasleadership.org/sites/default/files/How_To/PP/P-4/P4_Trad_v_Diff_Classroom.pdf

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http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/di/cresource/q2/p03/

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Page 3: Know Your Students

As discussed previously, when they differentiate instruction, teachers design lessons to address the needs of groups of students. Before teachers can do this, however, they must first get to know their students in terms of:

Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Readiness refers to a student's knowledge and skill level regarding given content. A student's readiness level might vary across subjects or content areas. For example, a student may have extensive knowledge about ancient Egypt but have little knowledge about the Incan civilization. Additionally, a student's readiness may be influenced by his or her background knowledge, life experiences, or previous learning. Teachers can determine the level at which a student is working in a given subject area by:

Did You Know?

Learning occurs when a student is asked to complete a task that is just beyond what he or she can do independently, or, in other words, in his or her proximal zone of development.

Interest

Interest refers to topics, skills, or activities that pique a student's curiosity or inspire him or her. Teachers can discover their students' interests by determining what topics they enjoy or which activities they engage in outside of class. They can do so by asking students to:

Learning Profile

Learning profile refers to a student's preferred method of learning new information or skills (e.g., visually, hands-on, through deductive means) and to environmental factors that influence a student's learning (e.g., small group, bright lights, no distractions). A student's profile can also be influenced by gender and culture. For example, students from cultural backgrounds that value cooperation over competition may perform better in a small group versus working independently. Teachers can assess a student's preferred method of learning by:

Carol Ann Tomlinson (2010)

For Your Information

When they collect information to better understand a student's learning profile, teachers should also take note of each student's affect, or emotions and feelings. Teachers should strive to understand how students feel about themselves and what makes each of them feel successful or discouraged.

Carol Ann Tomlinson, EdD
Professor of Educational Leadership,
Foundations, and Policy
The University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
View Transcript

Michelle Giddens, MEd
Assistant Principal Intern
Former Third-Grade Teacher
Sarasota, FL

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As discussed previously, when they differentiate instruction, teachers design lessons to address the needs of groups of students. Before teachers can do this, however, they must first get to know their students in terms of: Readiness Interest Learning Profile Readiness refers to a student's knowledge and skill level regarding given content.

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					Differentiating Instruction in Response
to Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning
Profile in Academically Diverse Classrooms:
A Review of Literature 
				
			
		

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					Differentiating Instruction in Response
to Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning
Profile in Academically Diverse Classrooms:
A Review of Literature 
				
			
		

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http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ787917.pdf

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					Pre-Assessing for General Readiness, Interests,
and Learning Profiles 
				
			
		

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					Pre-Assessing for General Readiness, Interests,
and Learning Profiles 
				
			
		

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http://www.fortthomas.kyschools.us/docs/DI-AssessmentM2ReadingGeneralPre-assessment.pdf

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Learner Interest Matters: Strategies for Empowering Student Choice

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Learner Interest Matters: Strategies for Empowering Student Choice

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http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy

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A parent shared with me that she struggled motivating her son to build a model of a Frank Lloyd Wright home for a presentation. This was part of a social studies unit in which he studied the architect. Her son had no interest in building the model or researching Frank Lloyd Wright. I asked what her son liked to do outside of school. Tops on his list was playing Minecraft, a game where players construct buildings, grow harvests, care for livestock, and do many other things in an unstructured sandbox world. When I suggested that he could build the model in Minecraft, she immediately saw the possibility. Of course, he'd have to convince his teacher that the task could be done, and that a video could be made to demo the work. The teacher recognized the opportunity, and the boy threw himself into the research and design with energy and enthusiasm. His work is referenced midway in this article on being constructivist in a Common Core classroom.

Readiness + Interest = Engagement

Student interest in a topic holds so much power. When a topic connects to what students like to do, engagement deepens as they willingly spend time thinking, dialoging, and creating ideas in meaningful ways. Making learning contextual to real-world experiences is a key learning technique with differentiating for student interests. Often the core content and concepts are represented in the world beyond the classroom or school building -- in ways that students cannot see, as if they're walking through life wearing a blindfold. When teachers plan for content, processing, and product, differentiating by interests helps remove the blindfold so that learners can see those invisible concepts made visible.

Factoring for student interests works well with instructional planning based on readiness and learning profiles. Readiness combined with interest leads to students doing work at a respectable complexity level with the familiarity of a topic that they relate to. For example, students could write persuasive reviews about games or items that they know intimately, or they might explore science concepts through LEGO Robotics. Matching learning profiles with student interest allows learners to process understanding of concepts through different modalities based on their own experiences. One example is students watching videos, listening to speakers, and journaling to make comparisons between social injustices from the past and forms of bullying that occur in today's schools and communities.

The first step to differentiate for interests is to find out what students care about and like to do. Student surveys and learning profile cards are two methods for collecting the data. Parents and students providing these details send the message that their experiences matter. That is a powerful message to start off the school year or semester.

Promoting Choice Allows Students to Decide Their Path

Give students choices based on a variety of interests. Many students may share common ground, which means that there's often something for everyone. For individuals with serious disengagement issues, I've planned activities around their interests, either as a targeted readiness activity or as something the whole class could experience. The benefit is that disengaged students will make the connections they need, and the others get to see the learning target from a new perspective. Differentiating products are a common place to embed interests. This results in some students choosing a product option that may be more challenging than something they would normally pick, but the topic makes the tasks worth doing. Some strategies that structure choice options include:

Think dots

Task cards

Learning menus

Learning centers

Tic-Tac-Toe menus

Empower Student Voice to Design Personal Learning Products

A higher level of activating interest is to have students propose their own ideas for products and activities. This constructivist approach engages students to do more complex work and spend more time on the task than they normally would. It also terrifies some teachers for how to quality control the vast variety of products that students could develop. I'd say that's a problem worth having, but here's a practical two-step approach:

1. Have clear learning criteria and ensure that students understand them.

Establish what academic skills and concepts must be represented in the product. Be careful to avoid assessment fog. When students understand the targets, they can effectively design their own products -- with coaching support for some more than others.

2. Limit the options to a manageable number.

Start conservatively by providing two structured options. Then invite students to create their own option, based on the learning criteria. The teacher listens to the proposals and suggests tweaks as needed, or sends students back to the drawing board when a proposal is not viable. Set a deadline when proposals are approved. Students who don't meet the deadline must choose from the original two options.

Caring Makes All the Difference

We're all motivated by tasks that interest us. Like our students, when we care, we willingly spend hours carried away with researching, crafting, and revising our work. Learners are less daunted about tackling complex work with difficult obstacles if the topic interests them and if they have a voice on how to accomplish the work. If this approach is good for professionals, why not use it for our learners?

Please share your own strategies for empowering student choice.

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Learner Interest Matters: Strategies for Empowering Student Choice

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A parent shared with me that she struggled motivating her son to build a model of a Frank Lloyd Wright home for a presentation. This was part of a social studies unit in which he studied the architect. Her son had no interest in building the model or researching Frank Lloyd Wright.

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					Effects of Differentiating for Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile
on Engagement and Understanding 
				
			
		

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					Effects of Differentiating for Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile
on Engagement and Understanding 
				
			
		

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http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&context=mathcs_etd_masters

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					Differentiating according to readiness, interests, learning
profiles 
				
			
		

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					Differentiating according to readiness, interests, learning
profiles 
				
			
		

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http://www.ssgt.nsw.edu.au/documents/4_readiness_profile.pdf

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The How To's of Planning Lessons Differentiated by Learning Profile

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The How To's of Planning Lessons Differentiated by Learning Profile

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http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/101043/chapters/The-How-To's-of-Planning-Lessons-Differentiated-by-Learning-Profile.aspx

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Differentiation Techniques for Special Needs Students

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Differentiation Techniques for Special Needs Students

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https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education

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Students with special needs may need to have their work differentiated in a specific way to meet their IEP goals. Below are some suggestions that can be integrated into lesson plans.

- While students with special needs may become proficient readers and writers, they should not be limited to this to show what they know. Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths. When it comes to tests, there are other ways to show mastery than a multiple choice test. Rubrics are a great way to create assessment tools for students to show they have mastered the material. Click the Rubric Link to go to a rubric builder. A portfolio may be another way to assess students. Depending on the level of the student, you could ask them to sort or group pictures according to specific criteria, name pictures, or have them answer questions orally.

- Technology can be especially helpful with special needs students. Access to computers, screen readers, and voice recognition software can help many students with special needs use technology more effectively. Other educational software programs-such as talking dictionaries and talking word processing applications-provide opportunities for students to improve their spelling, reading and writing. An internet based form of Kurzweil will soon be available in our district to assist students with reading text, note taking and test taking. In addition, audio copies of textbooks will be available for students to download onto their iPods and MP3 players so they can listen to textbooks on the bus.

Collaborative Activities - Students learn best from their peers and many jobs require an ability to be a contributing member of a team. Time and time again it has been proven that the lower functioning group improves when working with more academically capable students. Collaboration is a skill that must be discussed before the lesson, so each group member has a clear idea of their role. It helps to give some focus questions ahead such as: Did everyone get a chance to speak and contribute? The teacher must monitor the groups to ensure that they are functioning appropriately.

- Students working in cooperative groups have the benefit being exposed to the various learning strategies of others. Cooperative groups can be a comfortable place to have a voice in a small group setting and receive support from peers.

Explicit Modeling - Some activities such as note-taking, making connections among ideas, asking questions, project planning, and time-management may have to be taught, because special needs students are not able to make the connections on their own. This may require step by step procedures to be explained.

- Students with special needs often have difficulty monitoring their own progress. Giving feedback will help students to reflect on their own work.

- Organizing information is often a problem for students with special needs. Learning disabled students are often visual learners who respond well to information represented in graphic form. Concept maps , Venn diagrams , Cause-and-effect charts , , , and can assist students to incorporate new knowledge. Multimedia such as pictures, charts, graphs, audio, and video can also be beneficial.

Leveled Reading Materials - Providing reading materials on a particular topic, but written at different levels will allow a student with a reading disability to learn about the same topic as the rest of the class.

- It is not uncommon for students to misunderstand the instructions for an assignment. Keep the directions clear and concise

Multi-sensory Approach - Most new content is delivered verbally, but students have strengths in different areas. They may be great illustrators, innovative builders and and able to gather information visually on the internet. By using multi-sensory techniques to introduce new material, more of your students will retain it.

Peer Tutoring - Having a peer helper can be mutually beneficial. Students with special needs can receive intensive one-on-one assistance and the peer tutor learns about different learning styles, modeling positive behaviour and empathy. Peer helpers can also assist with creating study tools, editing written assignments and with collaborative activities.

Prior Knowledge - Linking newly presented knowledge to previous understanding is very important for students who have special needs. Know-Want to Know-Learn (), discussions and questioning can help students use what they already know to understand new information.

Visual component - Students with reading problems find pictures and symbols easier to understand. Flashcards and pictures are useful to teach sight vocabulary, safety signs and new concepts.

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7. Differentiation Techniques for Special Needs Students - Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers

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Students with special needs may need to have their work differentiated in a specific way to meet their IEP goals. Below are some suggestions that can be integrated into lesson plans. - While students with special needs may become proficient readers and writers, they should not be limited to this to show what they know.

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https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/6-assessment-ideas

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6. Assessment Ideas - Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers

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https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/5-preassessment-ideas

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Pre-assessment provides valuable information about what is already known about a topic and readiness to start new instruction. Discovering prior knowledge allows the teacher to present new information at an appropriate level for the students. This process should continue throughout the learning process, so lessons can be adjusted according to student need. Listed below are some methods to pre-assess.

Carousel Brainstorm - Chart papers containing statements or issues for student consideration are posted around the classroom. Groups of students brainstorm at one station and then rotate to the next position where they add additional comments. When the carousel "stops" the original team prepares a summary and then presents the large group's findings. A Carousel Brainstorm is an active, student-centered method to generate data about a group's collective prior knowledge of a variety of issues associated with a single topic.

Concept Maps - Ask students to create a "map" of ideas connected with a topic. They should consider how the topics link to each other and use lines or "linking" words to join the concepts together and describe the relationship. They can then revisit these maps later in the study (using a different color marker to add new ideas) or draw new ones that reveal their expanded understanding.

Four Corners Inquiry - Students are given an opportunity to formulate their own views and opinions. Students are asked to consider the topic and determine whether they strongly agree (SA), agree (A), disagree (D), or strongly disagree (SD) with a statement. They are then asked to move to the appropriate corner of the classroom identified with one of the options. Students should discuss their positions with the others in their group and present their opinions to the rest of the class.

-K-what does the student know? W-what does the student need and want to know? L-what did the students learn? This is an effective pre-assessment tool and summative evaluation tool. The "L" can also be used the as part of an open-ended question on a test allowing the students to share the depth of knowledge that was gained in the unit of study. Click here to access a

-During a lesson, there may be opportunities to have the students do a turn & talk activity for a few minutes. This allows students to talk about the information presented or shared and to clarify thoughts or questions. This is an effective alternate strategy to asking questions to the whole group and having the same students responding. All students have a chance to talk in a non-threatening situation for a short period of time.

Yes/No Cards-Students make a card with Yes on one side, No on the opposite side. Teachers ask an introductory or review question. Students who know the answer hold up the Yes card, if they don't know the answer they hold the No card. This is very effective to use when introducing vocabulary words that students need as a knowledge base for a specific unit of study.

Think - Ink - Pair - Share - A way to get students to reveal what they know or believe about a topic is to begin by having them commit their thoughts to writing. To assess what the group knows, have students discuss their ideas in pairs, and then to share them with the large group.

Here are some other pre-assessment methods to consider:

Anticipation journals

Drawing related to topic or content

Game activities

Informational surveys/Questionnaires/Inventories

Initiating activities

Picture Interpretation

Portfolio analysis

Prediction

Questioning (consider using Costa's Levels of Questioning - an AVID technique)

Self-evaluations

Show of hands to determine understanding

Standardized test information

Student demonstrations and discussions

Student interviews

Student products and work samples

Teacher observation/checklists

Teacher prepared tests

Writing prompts/samples

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5. Pre-assessment Ideas - Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers

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Pre-assessment provides valuable information about what is already known about a topic and readiness to start new instruction. Discovering prior knowledge allows the teacher to present new information at an appropriate level for the students. This process should continue throughout the learning process, so lessons can be adjusted according to student need.

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https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/4-content-process-and-products

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4. Content, Process and Products - Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers

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Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile

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Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile

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https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/3-readiness-interest-and-learning-profile

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3. Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile - Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers

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Reach Every Student Through Differentiated Instruction

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Reach Every Student Through Differentiated Instruction

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http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesDI/Brochures/DIBrochureOct08.pdf

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Establishing Classroom Routines that Support the Differentiated Classroom

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Establishing Classroom Routines that Support the Differentiated Classroom

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http://www.diffcentral.com/examples/Routines_2009.pdf

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Differentiation in the Language Classroom

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Differentiation in the Language Classroom

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https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/TLEsamples/TLE_Aug11_Article.pdf

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps

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http://fltmag.com/differentiated-activities-using-mobile-apps/

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph .D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)

The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students. Differentiated instruction capitalizes on the readiness levels, learning styles and personal interests of learners (Blaz, 2006) and allows teachers to engage with these diverse factors. Recent developments in the mobile learning environment offer a wealth of opportunity to differentiate activities and best meet learners' needs.

DIFFERENTIATING CONTENT, PROCESS AND PRODUCT

We all vary our teaching to accommodate learner differences, thus improving their ability to better connect with and process our materials. We can differentiate, or vary, three components of our instruction: content, process and product. When we adapt content, we adjust what we present to learners or how they access the new information based on their interests, learning preferences, or knowledge of the topic. Differentiating instructional content involves varying the topic, proficiency levels and type of content (texts, audio, or video). When we adapt the process, we adjust activities to allow learners to use different cognitive skills ranging from memorization to creation, often based on Bloom's taxonomy. When we adapt the product, we offer learners an alternative means to demonstrate their learning. Demonstration of learning outcomes takes a variety of forms such as performances, written and oral presentations, debates, or projects such as the creation of short videos. However, we don't have to vary all three components in the same lesson with the same learner. We can make informed choices about when, what and how we will differentiate, for whom and how often. By varying these three dimensions of our teaching, we offer a flexible learning environment that improves our ability to meet the needs of diverse learners.

ADDRESSING LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS TO DIFFERENTIATE ACTIVITIES

Learners are all different. There are the typical diversity factors of gender, culture, ethnicity and race that are often used to characterize learner differences. However, going beyond these differences, every learner brings a myriad of background knowledge, strengths, preferences, personality, cognitive styles, and motivational factors to the classroom. Accommodating learner differences requires that we take the time not only to get to know them individually, but also to consider how their characteristics and diversity can inform our teaching. As part of meeting curriculum standards, offering differentiated activities throughout a course program benefits all learners as it both supports them and challenges them where needed. As teachers, we know to adjust our teaching practice to accommodate students and we may feel comfortable with differentiation in the traditional classroom. However, the conventional classroom is constantly evolving. Differentiated instruction is not a new practice and mobile technology is now an integral part of our personal and professional lives. Yet as teachers, it is likely we have not yet explored how to incorporate mobile technology tools into our classroom practice as a means of differentiating instruction to address learner differences.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Mobile learning technologies, particularly apps, can be a central tool in diversifying language instruction to address learner differences. Through apps, learners can access authentic target language content, create personalized products, and share information from anywhere while taking advantage of the adaptability of mobile apps and communication tools. Similarly, teachers can create podcasts, video or visual content on a variety of topics in the target language using apps such as Pocket WavePad for audio recording or Near Pod for video creation. Teachers can then share their presentations with learners via social media apps or file management apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, GoodReader and so on. Such teacher-created, semi-authentic or authentic content can enrich the language learning experience in multiple ways as learners engage with different types and levels of content and topics. For teachers, important factors to consider are: the possibilities for content delivery to multiple learners, the variety of ways learners can be asked to process that content, and the opportunities for demonstration of learning through productio. For example, there are a number of mobile apps that allow language learners to practice vocabulary, grammar, writing, and pronunciation based on their interests and level. This enables mobile language learners to personalize their learning experience and scaffold it based on their needs and level of proficiency. Our skills and creativity in matching the appropriate tools with our learners' needs promises to have a significant impact on the quality of the foreign language learning experience. It is also helpful to view mobile apps that support language learning as existing within a continuum of interaction, modalities, and mobility ranging from asynchronous self-directed learning with little or no direct interaction on one end of the scale, to interactive synchronous video conferencing on the other end of the scale. We, as teachers, must not only focus on pedagogy, but also be able to select and match the appropriate instructional technology tools to the diverse needs of our students in order to facilitate their learning.

Table 1: Mobile Apps for Differentiation in the Foreign Language Classroom***

Differentiating Content Apps

Target Language (TL) News Apps;

TL Television Station Apps: Viki, BBC, CNN;

Video Apps for TL Lessons/Cultural Content: YouTube, Video Tube;

TL Podcasts/Vodcasts: NPR;

Video/Content Storage and Sharing: Google Drive, Dropbox, Vine;

Image Apps for TL Country Culture/Geography;

Maps for Practicing Directions/Learning Geography;

TL Weather Apps;

TL Vocabulary/Grammar Apps;

TL Reading or Accessing PDF Content: Kindle/iBooks & Adobe Reader.

Differentiating Process Apps (supporting process and collaboration)

Video Conferencing/Chatting: Skype, Google Hangout, FaceTime, Adobe Connect;

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and various messaging/texting TL apps;

Collaborative Creation/Annotation Tools: Google Docs/Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, GoodReader & Documents by Readdle.

Differentiating Products Apps

Presenting: Keynote**, Prezi, Nearpod, Glogster;

Create Written Content: Evernote, Pages**, Google Docs/Drive, notepad apps;

Create eBook: iBook author, Scrivener, Evernote;**

Storypatch**, Book Creator;

Create Blogs: Posterous, Tumblr, TypePad, WordPress;

Create Audio: Pocket WavePad, Audio Memos, Voice Memos;

Create Drawings & Images: SuperNote;

Create Drawings/Charts/Tables;

Create Videos: Smart Voice Recorder & Power Recorder**.

** indicate 'paid apps.' It is recommended that teachers check the availability of free apps and compatibility with mobile operating systems among students' devices.

***This list is representative of common apps for differentiating content, process and product. Many other apps are available.

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH MOBILE APPS

How we assist learners to achieve particular learning objectives will depend on a variety of factors such as content, class size, lesson length, and learner variables. The following is an example of how to effectively use mobile apps to adapt a communicative activity by differentiating content, process and product.

Table 2: Sample Activities: Health - Eating Nuts

Content
Read this article. You'd like to share this story with your friend. Using Twitter, briefly explain to your friend why this is interesting and send them the link

Watch the interview embedded in this article. You'd like to make health recommendations to your classmates. Based on the interview, list and compare how different types of nuts improve health using the chart via the 'Pages' 'Google Documents' or 'Notes' app available on your device.

Listen to this news story. You'd like to share a summary of this story with your grandparents to improve their health. Skype with your "grandparents" and paraphrase the story using examples. Your classmate will play the role of your grandparents. Take turns.

Process
Interview: Create interview questions for your classmates related to the news article. Ask your classmates to record their responses using the Pocket WavePad app or another voice recording app.

Blog: Respond to the news report using the app for the class blog. Comment on classmates' postings.

Report: Make a short news report about the benefits of eating nuts using a video recording app on your device.

Products
Create an E-Poster:Based on the interview results, create a poster in the Glogster app to promote a healthy diet. Be sure to add an audio/video file using WavePad or a video recording app.

Create a Video Clip: As a chef, introduce healthy recipes that include nuts. In groups, create a short video clip recording your cooking instructions. Share the video with your classmates in Google Drive.

Role-Play: Have a conversation with your friend and offer your personal advice for a healthy diet and lifestyle.Record your role-play using the Wave Pad app.

DIFFERENTIATED GROUP WORK

The choice to allocate learners to particular groups can be based on your goals for each learner: reinforce weak skills or leverage strong ones. For example, learners who have weak listening skills can be asked to watch a video interview related to a news topic as the video provides visual support (images or gestures) for the audio. Learners who have strong listening skills can be assigned to the group that just listens to the radio story about the same topic. Without visual support, they will be forced to rely fully on their listening comprehension skills. Learners who need more visual support can be assigned to the group asked to read the article. Conversely, learners can be assigned to groups that allow them to leverage their strengths, placing them in their comfort zone first and then challenging them later. To process content differently, students in groups can be assigned different mobile apps. For example, voice or video recording apps are used for short exchanges, summarizing or giving instructions, while blogging apps are used for critiquing others' opinions. Thus, different mobile apps help students capitalize on their strengths in different skill areas such as writing or speaking, thus allowing learners to work across different cognitive levels. Another way students can process content at various levels is to ask one group to summarize or restate the news story, while a second group interprets the information and makes recommendations. The final outcome for each group is distinct, utilizes different tools to share the information they received from the news sources, and replicates how such information would likely be shared in real-life (e.g. Twitter, Skype, Google Drive, etc). Again, the choice of which students to assign to which task is based on the skills you want your students to build upon, or the amount of scaffolding you wish to provide.

GUIDELINES FOR DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES USING MOBILE APPS

We suggest some guidelines to implement differentiated activities using mobile apps both in and outside the classroom. Although they won't apply to every context and lesson, they are general considerations to bear in mind.

1. Catalog your apps into the following three categories (for further examples, see Table 1 Mobile Apps for Differentiated Activities): Content Apps: offer content through various modes. Identify target language apps that offer authentic materials suitable for various levels of students. Use them regularly to expose students to various types of input such as target language texts, images, audio, and video content. Target language news apps, video apps, or podcasts are good sources of authentic materials and culture. Process Apps: facilitate interaction and collaboration. Identify the different levels of cognitive skills that need to be addressed in learning activities, from low order thinking skills (i.e. remembering) to high order thinking skills (i.e. creating) and define the purpose of the activities. Then, select appropriate apps to differentiate the learning process. Product Apps: diversify the demonstration of learning outcomes. Identify the apps/tools that allow learners to create content in various forms such as photo apps, writing apps, or audio/video recording apps, etc.

2. Norms for the use of mobile devices should be set at the beginning of the program with all learners and the teacher(s). Both parties must agree to what is allowed and what is prohibited. Through co-constructing such norms, learners' preferences and learner autonomy are supported.

3. Explain the rationale for using mobile apps to learners; learners will be more invested in using them if they understand how they support language learning.

4. Monitor learners' activities during the entirety of the class. Providing clear instruction at the beginning of an activity is critical to guide learners in effectively using their mobile devices and apps.

5. In all stages of the lesson, try to replicate real life situations. For example, when do native speakers use Skype or FaceTime? How do they use different communication apps? For what purposes? This process will help teachers select the appropriate tool to facilitate interaction and collaboration. This will also create authentic activities from the learners' perspectives.

6. Maintain consistency and regularly recycle familiar apps; constantly introducing new apps may turn the focus away from language learning and will unnecessarily waste time.

7. Vary grouping strategies regularly by utilizing individual, pair and group work. You may also group students according to interests, language level, and skill strengths.

CONCLUSION

Using mobile apps for differentiated activities not only supports learning but also meets the needs and interests of learners in the digital-age, increasing their engagement with and motivation for learning foreign languages. With the help of mobile apps, learners can take control of their learning process and learning outcomes while collaborating with their peers. In addition, differentiated activities using mobile apps empowers learners to personalize and process their learning content and demonstrate their learning progress. When the selection and use of mobiles apps are pedagogically sound, both learners and teachers can engage in a highly interactive and collaborative learning environment.

REFERENCES

Blaz, Deborah, Differentiated Instruction: A guide for foreign language teachers ( Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, 2006).

Carol Ann Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. (Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1999).

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Differentiated Activities for the Language Classroom Using Mobile Apps - The FLTMAG

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Kara Mac Donald, Ph.D Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) Unsoon Won, Faculty Development Advisor, Associate Professor, Academic Support Center, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) The diversity of learners in our classrooms requires us to adjust our instruction to maximize learning for all students.

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom

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http://calicospanish.com/differentiated-instruction-in-the-world-language-classroom/

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Thanks to everyone for joining us for Thursday's #langchat, and thanks especially to our moderators, Erica Fischer (@CalicoTeach) and Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell (@SECottrell). The summary is a little bit late this week but is loaded with great information and some interesting discussion!

Our topic was "How can we differentiate instruction in World Language classes?" The hour-long chat was a fascinating mix of theory and practical tips on differentiated instruction, but also covered several other interesting subjects such as goal setting in the classroom. Go here to check out the full archive, or read the summary below for all the main points.

- Follow the blog on Bloglovin -

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

Participants shared many personal definitions of differentiation, all of which had a similar theme: students have different needs and favored learning methods. Differentiating involves matching your teaching methods to students' needs and providing students with multiple options and paths for learning. It's important not to change your methods for the sake of variety, however; the focus should be on the students' learning, not on the teacher's instruction - @tmsaue1 calls this "differentiated learning."

Why Do We Differentiate Our Instruction?

As students learn in different ways, addressing their different methods ensures that all students are challenged and engaged to learn. Several participants mentioned that differentiating your instruction also helps to increase students' motivation by providing different activities and objectives that keep and attract their interest. In addition to variety keeping the kids interested, letting students choose their own learning paths and activities gives them the chance to choose the path that motivates them the most (@SECottrell).

Choosing and completing work that motivates them can improve their confidence. In addition, @esantacruz13 mentioned that taking the time to get to know students and what works for them also improves students' confidence.

- Like Calico Spanish on Facebook -

How Can We Differentiate in the Classroom?

Our moderator, @CalicoTeach, asked "What should we do every day to differentiate instruction?" One of the critical points brought up by @SECottrell is that world language teachers should always act like we believe every child can succeed. The most important factor in learning a language is motivation, not ability.

After establishing this mindset, @mmebrady thinks we can provide different options for learning activities. Here we should let students choose both what and how they learn. Also, it's a good idea to implement different learning methods in activities to appeal to multiple students. Even just using the four elements of a foreign language - reading, writing, listening and speaking - is a good way to address students' different learning styles.

Another way to differentiate your teaching methods is to pick one of the multiple intelligences per day to reach specifically, though not exclusively (@pamwesely). Also, try letting one student be the "star student" for the week, which lets this student pick some activities and goals for the week with the teacher. Another suggestion is to have small groups of students work on the next project, and the whole class votes on the best project to actually do.

Differentiated Instruction through Student Goals

A key element of effective differentiated instruction is to let students choose their own language learning goals for the classroom with the teacher as a facilitator. When discussing goals, remember that goal setting is a learned skill. The best way to start setting language-learning goals is for the teacher to model the process first (@tmsaue1). It's ok to discuss goals for language learning in English - it's unlikely, especially at beginner and intermediate levels, that students have the target language skills to discuss their learning objectives in the language.

To help students feel comfortable setting their own goals and providing feedback on what works, try to cultivate an environment that encourages communication and sharing. Remember that not all students are at the same ages or levels of development (@pamwesely). Asking some students to create their own goals may work; with others it might not. Reasons vary, but students may just be too shy to give feedback publicly. @tmsaue1 suggests giving students opportunities for quiet feedback, such as exit slips or at-home surveys.

A potential issue with student-created goals is that many students might not know the best way to learn or what they want to learn (@pamwesely). It's the teacher's responsibility to provide the necessary support and motivation so that students can make an educated decision on what and how to learn in the classroom. One way to do this is to communicate proficiency standards with students so that their goals match; not doing so could lead students to set goals that are too high and that may lead to disappointment (@tmsaue1). @klafrench created goals with her students by starting with established proficiency standards and picking out key words to include in the class goals.

Worksheets and other activities can help students set goals, too. Before every unit, @MmeNero has students fill out a traffic light document with learning objectives divided by language skills. Students appreciate knowing what the end goal is.

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Problems with Differentiated Instruction

One of the major problems with differentiated instruction is its popularity with educators. As it's become a sort of buzzword, many teachers and educators may be tempted to believe that simply changing up their teaching methods will be enough to bring a different style of learning to their students. Don't fall into this trap! Always have a reason for any changes in teaching methods, and it's a good idea to gather student feedback as you go.

Some students might assume certain learning methods won't work for them, too. We need to help those students try these ways (@CalicoTeach). As facilitators, our job isn't just to give students the information they need to make decisions; we should also push students to continuously challenge themselves.

However, teachers must be careful not to get too involved. @MmeJonesy indicated that it's sometimes difficult to listen to what students want - teachers often have their own agendas they want to pursue. It's not easy to leave decisions such as these up to students, but it's integral to differentiated and student-centered learning. At the same time, goals and paths aren't necessarily good just because the students' helped to pick them themselves, so we need to walk a fine line between too much teacher influence and not enough (@pamwesely).

Finally, we need to make a distinction between differentiating and individualizing our teaching; @tmsaue1 asks is it really possible to address the needs of 150+ students? While an abundance of planning time would make this possible, few teachers have that luxury. It's therefore important to be aware that you cannot hope to cater to the individual needs of every student yourself; this makes student-created goals and other student inputs all the more essential.

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Resources

Thanks again to all the participants of Thursday's #langchat - the archives show that this was one fast-paced and interesting discussion, with views from all angles. If you missed out, join us for the next chat on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EST. Be sure to monitor the #langchat hashtag during the week to take part in the vote on our next topic, or visit our Google Docs page to suggest a topic of your own. Also, check out our wiki at http://www.langchat.pbworks.com/.

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Differentiated Instruction in the World Language Classroom | Calico Spanish

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Thanks to everyone for joining us for Thursday's #langchat, and thanks especially to our moderators, Erica Fischer (@CalicoTeach) and Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell (@SECottrell). The summary is a little bit late this week but is loaded with great information and some interesting discussion! Our topic was "How can we differentiate instruction in World Language classes?"

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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https://www.sedl.org/loteced/communique/n06.html

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LOTE CED Communiqué: Issue 6: Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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SEDL merged with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) on January 1, 2015. This archived website contains the work of SEDL legacy projects and rich resources from the past 50 years.

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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Differentiated Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners

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http://www.sedl.org/loteced/communique/n06.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTR_snb-0nQ

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Effective Small Group Differentiated Instruction

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Effective Small Group Differentiated Instruction

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF3T2aZM3ko

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Effective Small Group Differentiated Instruction

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Tips & Strategies for Effective Differentiation & Instruction

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Tips & Strategies for Effective Differentiation & Instruction

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVRYSC8YyYA

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Tips & Strategies for Effective Differentiation & Instruction.wmv

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Differentiation in Teaching and Learning

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Differentiation in Teaching and Learning

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkIQ6KiyA5U

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Differentiation in Teaching and Learning

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Five key aspects of differentiated instruction   

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Five key aspects of differentiated instruction   

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TRGl3iXoAE

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five key aspects of differentiated instruction

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Using Differentiated Instruction to Support All Learners

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Using Differentiated Instruction to Support All Learners

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOPe_cJ67No

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http://education.ky.gov/educational/diff/Documents/StrategiesThatDifferentiateInstruction4.12.pdf

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http://bcove.me/qn9sgkj1

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The Differentiated Classroom: Tomlinson on the Need for a Second Edition

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Author Carol Ann Tomlinson talks about her motivation for revising the best-selling ASCD book The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 15 years after its first publication.

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ASCD Video Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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ASCD Video Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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http://bcove.me/vvvsbsrj

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ASCD Video: Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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Secondary Learners clip: A secondary classroom teacher talks to her students in small-group discussions.

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The Problem with Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom

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The Problem with Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom

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http://bcove.me/rdyacdvs

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Carol Ann Tomlinson: The Problem with Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom

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Carol Ann Tomlinson, coauthor of the ASCD book Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom, says that the problem with assessment and differentiation is simply an extension of the pervasive problems with assessment in general.

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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http://bcove.me/1a5ed03j

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Carol Ann Tomlinson: Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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Carol Ann Tomlinson, coauthor of Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom, says that the ASCD book lays out the process of assessment, showing the connection among curriculum, assessment, and instruction.

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ASCD Video Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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ASCD Video Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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http://bcove.me/84nkhi9n

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ASCD Video: Excerpt, "The Differentiated Classroom" Series

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Elementary Learners clip: A classroom teacher works with his students on a growth mind-set.

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http://bcove.me/ucuv79zn

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The Differentiated Classroom, 2nd Edition: Presenting a Practical, Research-Based Model

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Author Carol Ann Tomlinson says that the second edition of the best-selling ASCD book The Differentiated Classroom reflects her strength--showing the connection between research and practice--to present a practical model.

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Differentiation Is, Differentiation Is Not - infographic

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Differentiation Is, Differentiation Is Not - infographic

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/Differentiation_Is-IsNot_infographic.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/institutes/di-and-standards-teacher-eval-alignment.pdf

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Evaluating Differentiation of Learning in Reading Instruction

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Evaluating Differentiation of Learning in Reading Instruction

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196503_veatch.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/books/stricklandAT2009_planning_a_tiered_activity.pdf

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/books/stricklandAT2009_differentiation_bingo.pdf

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/assessment-and-di-whitepaper.pdf

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Strategies for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

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Strategies for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/books/tomlinson2001_chapter6_errata.pdf

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Mapping a Route toward Differentiated Instruction

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Mapping a Route toward Differentiated Instruction

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el199909_tomlinson.pdf

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Characteristics of Differentiated Instruction - infographic

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Characteristics of Differentiated Instruction - infographic

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http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/Characteristics-of-Differentiated-Instruction_infographic.pdf

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Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms

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Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms

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http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100216/chapters/Understanding-Differentiated-Instruction@-Building-a-Foundation-for-Leadership.aspx

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Susan Demirsky Allan is Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Public School System. She works with teachers and administrators developing and implementing curriculum, improving classroom instructional practice, and inducting new teachers into the teaching profession. Allan is an author of Local Realities, Local Adaptations: Problems, Process, and Person in a School's Governance, as well as many articles on grouping practices and gifted education. She has presented at many conferences, served on the boards of national and state organizations, and consulted around the country and internationally.

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Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms - ASCD

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Try going a week without hearing a call for a massive overhaul of our educational system. Parents, students, educators, bureaucrats, pundits . . . everyone says something must be done. But what? And who should do it? In this environment, school leaders must build bridges for change.

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Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition

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Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition

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http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108029/chapters/What-Is-a-Differentiated-Classroom%C2%A2.aspx

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ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

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Differentiation in the Classroom Everything you need to know about Differentiated Instruction!

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Differentiation in the Classroom Everything you need to know about Differentiated Instruction!

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http://www.differentiationintheclassroom.com/

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The Next few posts will be about Tools for Differentiating Instruction.

The tools that teachers have at their disposal in today's classrooms are much richer than the ones we recall our teachers using during our own schooling. We now know significantly more about the brain and how it works than we did just 20 years ago, and this increase in knowledge is producing new educational models and approaches at almost lightning speed. While these new trends may be exciting, with so many new ideas and directions to choose from, teachers often feel the stress of being asked to implement too many initiatives coming at any one given time. How can we possibly know which will really be effective and which are practical in the "real world?"

The next two posts will focus on several models or "tools" that have been proven to work with students and with teachers. While there are certainly numerous other tools available, these have stood the test of time and have proven to be "doable" for most teachers.

- Tools for Differentiating Based on Student Readiness (Bloom's Taxonomy, Tomlinson's Equalizer, and concept-based teaching)
-Tools for Differentiating Based on A Student Learning Profile (Groupings, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences)

Keep in mind that, regardless of the tools that a teacher chooses to use, the goal in any classroom, differentiated or not, ought to be to aim high so that each and every student experiences an appropriate challenge. Given the fact that our students enter our classrooms with vastly different needs and readiness levels for learning, aiming high for all cannot mean the same instruction and work for all. This is, of course, why differentiation is a necessity in any classroom.

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The Next few posts will be about Tools for Differentiating Instruction. The tools that teachers have at their disposal in today's classrooms are much richer than the ones we recall our teachers using during our own schooling.

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http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-differentiated-instruction

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8 Lessons Learned on Differentiating Instruction 

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8 Lessons Learned on Differentiating Instruction 

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http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/8-lessons-learned-differentiating-instruction

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My differentiation journey began in 2004 when my principal asked me to attend a weeklong summer conference on differentiated instruction. I was eager to please my principal so I quickly accepted her offer. I was also extremely curious about how I, one person, could possibly address the individual needs of 100 students.

By the end of the conference, I was totally overwhelmed with information: flexible grouping, assessment, inventories, tiered lessons, Carol Ann Tomlinson. My real work, though, didn't begin until after the conference, when I was expected to start using the training I'd received. I was expected to create four differentiated lessons that school year. My methods of differentiation were also observed three times by an administrator from my district. I worked extremely hard that year, but the experience taught me so much.

Throughout that year, I utilized a variety of management pointers for a differentiated classroom that had been presented during the conference. These guidelines helped me to begin integrating basic differentiation without losing my sanity. Here are some of those basic points to help you create a solid foundation for differentiation in your classroom:

Lesson 1

Differentiation does not take place overnight; think of it as a wonderful work in progress. Once I felt comfortable with one aspect of differentiation, I would begin to add something new. For example, I first explained to my students and their parents what would be taking place that year and how it would affect their learning in a positive manner. I then added small things such as allowing my students choices in their reading and writing.

Lesson 2

Like students themselves, differentiation can take on many forms. Differentiation can be accomplished in a number of ways:

Content: What the students learn

Process: Activities used to assist the learning

Products: Demonstration of learning

The methods you use should be based on the student's needs:

Readiness: Student's academic standing

Learning profile: How the student learns

Student's interest

Lesson 3

Learn everything possible about your students. This data assists you in designing your curriculum and lessons:

Administer surveys and inventories throughout the school year: multiple intelligences, reading, writing (PDF), interest, parent, etc.

Analyze prior standardized test scores and administer your own assessment to identify students' strengths and weaknesses.

Lesson 4

Before starting a new unit of study, pre-assess students' knowledge to find out what the students know and do not know about the content in your lesson. This helps you to identify misconceptions, modify instruction if needed, and set up your flexible groups. This assessment may be formal or informal. You may use a variety of techniques to pre-assess such as:

Lesson 5

Begin small. Creating a classroom where individual needs are met can start with one activity, such as allowing students choices. Choices give students a feeling of independence and ownership. Allow students to choose:

Lesson 6

Gradually add more difficult things, such as one differentiated lesson per nine weeks or semester, literature circles, or alternative assessments.

Lesson 7

Set expectations for yourself and your students.

Provide clear and concise directions to students. Students must know what you want them to understand and be able to do. At the beginning of the school year, teach students routines and procedures for entering classroom, turning in homework and class work. It is important that students know what they are doing, where to go, and when to go.

Take ample time to plan, plan, plan; create a schedule if needed.

Lesson 8

Stay up-to-date on best practices by:

Attending conferences or professional development on differentiated instruction.

Observing other teachers in your content area differentiating in their classrooms, and invite colleagues/administrators who are proficient in differentiated instruction to your classroom to observe you differentiating. The feedback is invaluable.

Read literature on differentiated instruction. Here's a brief list of recommended professional books:

The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners by Carol Ann Tomlinson

How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms 2 nd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson

Differentiated Instruction: Different Strategies for Different Learners by Char Forsten, Jim Grant, and Betty Hollas

Through the Cracks by Carolyn Sollman, Barbara Emmons, Judith Paoli

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8 Lessons Learned on Differentiating Instruction | Scholastic

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My differentiation journey began in 2004 when my principal asked me to attend a weeklong summer conference on differentiated instruction. I was eager to please my principal so I quickly accepted her offer. I was also extremely curious about how I, one person, could possibly address the individual needs of 100 students.

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What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom

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What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom

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http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-strategies/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/

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http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction

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Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

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Methods of Differentiation in the Classroom

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Methods of Differentiation in the Classroom

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http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/MethodsofDifferentiationintheClassroom.aspx

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Differentiated Instruction - Wikipedia

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differentiated_instruction

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Multiple learning

Differentiated instruction and assessment, also known as differentiated learning or, in education, simply, differentiation, is a framework or philosophy for effective teaching that involves providing all students within their diverse classroom community of learners a range of different avenues for understanding new information (often in the same classroom) in terms of: acquiring content; processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and developing teaching materials and assessment measures so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in their ability. Differentiated instruction means using different tools, content, and due process in order to successfully reach all individuals. Differentiated instruction, according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, is the process of "ensuring that what a student learns, how he or she learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he or she has learned is a match for that student's readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning." According to Boelens et al. (2018), differentiation can be on two different levels: the administration level and the classroom level. The administration level takes the socioeconomic status and gender of students into consideration. At the classroom level, differentiation revolves around content, processing, product, and effects. On the content level, teachers adapt what they are teaching to meet the needs of students. This can mean making content more challenging or simplified for students based on their levels. The process of learning can be differentiated as well. Teachers may choose to teach individually at a time, assign problems to small groups, partners or the whole group depending on the needs of the students. By differentiating product, teachers decide how students will present what they have learned. This may take the form of videos, graphic organizers, photo presentations, writing, and oral presentations. All these take place in a safe classroom environment where students feel respected and valued-effects.

Differentiation at a glance

When language is the factor for differentiation, Echevarria et al. (2017), proponents of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) strongly supports and guides teachers to differentiate instruction to English as a Second Language Learners (ELLs) who have a range of learning ability levels-beginning, intermediate and advanced. Here, differentiated instruction will mean adapting a whole new instructional strategy that a teacher of a typical classroom of native speakers of English would not have a need to.

Differentiated classrooms have also been described as ones that respond to student variety in readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. It is a classroom that includes and allows all students to be successful. To do this, a teacher sets different expectations for task completion for students, specifically based upon their individual needs. Teachers can differentiate in four ways: 1) through content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment based on the individual learner. Differentiation stems from beliefs about differences among learners, how they learn, learning preferences, and individual interests (Algozzine & Anderson, 2007). Therefore, differentiation is an organized, yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning methods to accommodate each child's learning needs and preferences to achieve maximum growth as a learner.

An important part of differentiated instruction and assessment is determining what students already know so as not to cover material students have mastered, or use methods that would be ineffective for students. The goal of pre-assessment is to determine a student's knowledge, understanding and skill prior to the unit of study. These are assessments for learning and include diagnostic or pre-assessments that the teacher uses to help guide instruction and benefit each learner. They are informal and provide qualitative feedback to teachers and students to address strengths and needs during the unit. Pre-assessments should be conducted several weeks before the unit of study and should not be graded. Chapman and King (2005) note that when "teachers strategically administer pre-assessments before planning their lessons, they can address the students' strengths and needs during instruction." Pre-assessment can be conducted in two ways: 1) by identifying learning preferences and interests (i.e. Gardner's Multiple Intelligence test, or Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic learner), and 2) by identifying knowledge of student understandings (i.e. checklists, quizzes, class discussion, portfolios, entry/exit cards, anticipation guides, journals, self-reflections). Both of these types of pre-assessment are used to design student tasks, particularly when a student might require support, enrichment, or have different learning styles, intelligence, or interests. Teachers can also determine, locate, and compile appropriate resources and decide timelines/priorities for upcoming units.

The goal of differentiated instruction is to develop engaging tasks that challenge and enhance learning for each student. Instructional activities are flexible and based and evaluated on content, process, product, and learning environment. This instructional approach and choice of content are driven by the data from students' assessment results and from the outcomes of other screening tools. Pre-assessments can gather information about each student's strengths, comforts, or areas of weakness. This leads to appropriate differentiation that accommodates each student's learning needs and preferences. Assessments should be used as a tool to create clear and meaningful instruction that guides each student towards challenging but not frustrating activities.

Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources such as assignments, teacher observations, class discussions, and tests and quizzes. Teachers must assess regularly to inform instructional strategies, learn about each student's readiness, interests, and learning preferences and to improve student learning. This information can be gathered through diagnostic (pre-assessments), formative, and summative assessments, as well as Individual Education Plans, Ontario Student Records, student interest surveys, and multiple intelligence or learning style inventories.

Assessment for learning not only includes diagnostic or pre-assessment measures but also formative assessment. Formative assessments are used during a unit to provide understanding about what the student is learning, and continually guide instructional decisions. Assessment as learning takes place when students self-assess their work and reflect on their growth as learners. Earl (2003) says this is the process in metacognition, and "occurs when students personally monitor what they are learning and use feedback . . . to make adjustments, adaptations, and . . . changes in what they understand." Differentiation can be used when applying, demonstrating, extending knowledge, or practicing skills and attitudes to monitor achievement of goals. This might include peer/ self-assessments, and peer/teacher conferences. Assessment of learning is the culminating task or summative assessment, which takes place after the learning has occurred and students can show what concepts and/or skills they learned. Differentiation can also be used here through a variety of strategies such as tests, projects, demonstrations, writing performances, and more.

All these ongoing assessments help the teacher know students and their needs so they can select effective teaching and learning strategies and interventions that maximize student achievement. Consistent program review and diagnosis of whole-class and individual student responses not only provides ongoing feedback to enhance teaching and learning for teachers but students and parents as well. Teachers use ongoing assessments to gather information about a student's knowledge and capabilities, to direct future planning, to monitor student progress, and to evaluate student achievement. Students and parents can also use these assessments to reflect and understand their own learning preferences and level of achievement.

The content of lessons may be differentiated based on what students already know. The most basic content of a lesson should cover the standards of learning set by the district or state. Some students in a class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery of the content - or display mistaken ideas about the content, and some students may show mastery of the content before the lesson begins. The teacher may differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover different areas of Bloom's taxonomy. For example, students who are unfamiliar with the concepts may be required to complete tasks on the lower levels of Bloom's taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, and application. Students with partial mastery may be asked to complete tasks in the application, analysis and evaluation areas, and students who have high levels of mastery may be asked to complete tasks in evaluation and synthesis.

When teachers differentiate content, they may adapt what they want students to learn or how students access the knowledge, understanding, and skills (Anderson, 2007). In these instances, educators are not varying student objectives or lowering performance standards for students. They use different texts, novels, or short stories at a reading level appropriate for each individual student. Another example would be including visuals, maps, or graphic organizers to introduce or reinforce concepts as opposed to only providing written or oral text. This provides students with different methods of viewing, considering and absorbing content. Teachers can also use flexible groups and have students assigned to like groups listening to audiobooks or accessing specific internet sources. Students could have a choice to work in pairs, groups, or individually, but all students are working towards the same standards and objectives.

Understanding by Design

Understanding by Design (UbD), which was developed by Grant Wiggins is an educational strategy that may be used to inform content in a differentiated classroom. This model was further refined by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe, who maintained that UbD and differentiated instruction (DI) form an essential partnership. Their position is that learning occurs not at the individual level or to the individual but within the individual students as they are engaged in exploring concepts. The combination of UbD and differentiated instruction is expected to allow educators to simultaneously "craft powerful curriculum in a standards-dominated era and ensure academic success for the full spectrum of learners."

UbD is described as a backward design model that emphasizes the beginning with the end in mind. Here, planning the courses, units, and individual lessons is undertaken based on the desired result. For instance, when teaching a literary piece, the teacher first decides the goal and how the students will be assessed to determine if such goal is achieved. The framework also recognizes the importance of assessment and employs evaluative or summative assessment models as the bases of grading.

To understand how students learn and what they know, pre-assessment and ongoing assessment are essential. This provides feedback for both teacher and student, with the ultimate goal of improving student learning. Delivery of instruction in the past often followed a "one size fits all" approach. In contrast, differentiation is individually student centered, with a focus on appropriate instructional and assessment tools that are fair, flexible, challenging, and engage students in the curriculum in meaningful ways.

Students vary in culture, socioeconomic status, language, gender, motivation, ability, disability, learning styles, personal interests and more, and teachers must be aware of these varieties as they plan in accordance with the curricula. By considering varied learning needs, teachers can develop personalized instruction so that all children in the classroom can learn effectively.

The process of how the material in a lesson is learned may be differentiated for students based on their learning styles, taking into account what standards of performance are required for the age level. This stage of differentiation allows students to learn based either on what method is easiest for them to gain knowledge, or what may challenge them most: some students may prefer to read about a topic (or may require practice in reading), and others may prefer to listen (or require practice in listening), or acquire knowledge by manipulating objects associated with the content. Information may be presented in multiple ways by the teacher, and may be based on any available methods or materials. Many teachers use areas of Multiple Intelligences to provide learning opportunities.

Commonalities in the assessment results lead to grouping practices that are designed to meet the students' needs. "How" a teacher plans to deliver the instruction is based on assessment results that show the needs, learning styles, interests, and levels of prior knowledge. The grouping practices must be flexible, as groups change with regard to the need that must be addressed. Regardless of whether the differentiation of instruction is based upon student readiness, interests, or needs, the dynamic flow of grouping and regrouping is one of the foundations of differentiated instruction. It is important for a differentiated classroom to allow some students to work alone, if this is their best modality for a particular task. (Nunley, 2004)

Differentiating by process refers to how a student comes to understand and assimilate facts, concepts and skills (Anderson, 2007). After teaching a lesson, a teacher might break students into small "ability" groups based on their readiness. The teacher would then give each group a series of questions, based on each group's appropriate level of readiness-skills, related to the objectives of the lesson. Another way to group the students could be based on the students' learning styles. The main idea behind this is that students are at different levels and learn in different ways, so a teacher can't teach them all the same way.

Another model of differentiation, layered curriculum, offers student a choice of assignments but requires that they demonstrate learning to pass the assignment. This eliminates the need for pre-assessment and is useful for teachers with large class loads, such as in high school (Nunley, 2004).

The product is essentially what the student produces at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content: tests, evaluations, projects, reports, or other activities. Based on students' skill levels and educational standards, teachers may assign students to complete activities that demonstrate mastery of an educational concept (writing a report), or in a method the student prefers (composing an original song about the content, or building a 3-dimensional object that explains mastery of concepts in the lesson or unit). The product is an integral component of the differentiated model, as preparation of the assessments determines both the 'what' and 'how' of instruction delivery.

When an educator differentiates by product or performance, they are affording students various ways of demonstrating what they have learned from the lesson or unit (Anderson, 2007; Nunley, 2006). It is done by using menu unit sheets, choice boards or open-ended lists of final product options. It is meant to allow students to show what they learned based on their learning preferences, interests and strengths.

Examples of differentiated structures include Layered Curriculum, tiered instruction, tic-tac-toe extension menus, Curry/Samara models, RAFT writing activities, and similar designs. (See external links below.)

In differentiated instruction, teachers respond to students' readiness, instructional needs, interests and learning preferences and provide opportunities for students to work in varied instructional formats. A classroom that utilizes differentiated instruction is a learner-responsive, teacher-facilitated classroom where all students have the opportunity to meet curriculum foundation objectives. Lessons may be on inquiry based, problem based and project based instruction.

While significant research has shown the effectiveness of product based differentiated instruction at primary and secondary level, effective use has also been demonstrated in higher education in some circumstances.

Differentiating through the environment is important as it creates the conditions for optimal learning to take place. According to Tomlinson (2003), "Environment will support or deter the student's quest for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge in the classroom," (p. 37). The learning environment includes the physical layout of the classroom, the way that the teacher uses the space, environmental elements and sensitivities including lighting, as well as the overall atmosphere of the classroom. The teacher's goal is to create an environment that is positive, structured, and supportive for each student. The physical environment should be a place that is flexible with varied types of furniture and arrangements, and areas for quiet individual work as well as areas for group work and collaboration. This supports a variety of ways to engage in flexible and dynamic learning. Flexible seating is a method used to differentiate seating assignments within the learning environment. In the flexible seating model, students choose the type of seating and location in the classroom that will allow them to learn best. Each student chooses for themselves within teacher guidelines. Teachers should be sensitive and alert to ways that the classroom environment supports students' ability to interact with others individually, in small groups, and as a whole class. They should employ classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, most parents are eager for their students to learn, grow, succeed and feel accepted in school. Sharing these goals is important. A differentiated classroom may "look different" from what parents expect. The teacher can help them develop a clear, positive understanding of differentiated instruction and how it benefits their children by letting parents know that:

The goal of differentiated instruction is to make certain that everyone grows in all key skills and knowledge areas, encouraging student to move on from their starting points and to become more independent learners.

In a differentiated classroom, the teacher closely assesses and monitors skills, knowledge levels, interests to determine effective ways for all students to learn; the teacher's lesson plan is drawn up with those various skills, levels, and interests in mind.

Differentiated lessons reflect the teacher's best understanding of what will best help a child to grow in understanding and skill at a given moment. That understanding evolves as the course continues, as the child develops, and as parents contribute to teachers' understanding.

When parents come to school and talk about their children, they share their perspectives with the teacher. The teacher views the student more broadly, specifically in relation to students of the same age and in light of developmental benchmarks. The parent, on the other hand, has a deeper sense of the student's interests, feelings, and changes over time. The combination of the wide-angle lens viewpoint of the teacher with the close up lens of the parents results in a fuller picture for everyone.

Education critics on theories of different learning styles have used this as an avenue to also criticize differentiated instruction. One source includes Mike Schmoker of Education Week, who claims that after a lengthy email exchange with an architect of DI, she conceded "There [is] no solid research or school evidence" in support of DI. In Educational Research, John Geake states, "the evidence consistently shows that modifying a teaching approach to cater for differences in learning styles does not result in any improvement in learning outcomes," and that implementing learning styles, citing VAK specifically, does "not reflect how our brains actually learn, nor the individual differences we observe in classrooms." In Psychological Science for the Public Interest, Pashler et al. note, "the literature fails to provide adequate support for applying learning-style assessments in school settings. Moreover, several studies that used appropriate research designs found evidence that contradicted the learning-styles hypothesis...[W]e feel that the widespread use of learning-style measures in educational settings is unwise and a wasteful use of limited resources."

Allan, S. D., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Leadership for differentiating schools and classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Anderson, K. M. (2007). "Tips for teaching: Differentiating instruction to include all students". Preventing School Failure. 51 (3): 49-54. doi:10.3200/PSFL.51.3.49-54. S2CID 144613998.

Ellis, E.; Gable, R. A.; Gregg, M.; Rock, M. L. (2008). "REACH: A framework for differentiating classroom instruction" (PDF). Preventing School Failure. 52 (2): 31-47. doi:10.3200/PSFL.52.2.31-47. S2CID 144948134.

Fountain, Heather. Differentiated Instruction in Art. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, Inc., 2013.

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.

Jackson, R. (2008) The Differentiation Workbook: A Step-by-step guide to planning lessons that ensure that your students meet or exceed the standards. Washington, DC: Mindsteps

Levy, H. M. (2008). "Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: Helping every child reach and exceed standards". The Clearing House. 81 (4): 161-164. doi:10.3200/tchs.81.4.161-164. S2CID 144504110.

Nunley, K. (2004). Layered curriculum (2nd ed.). Amherst, NH: Brains.org

Nunley, K. (2006). Differentiating the high school classroom: Solution strategies for 18 common obstacles. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corbin.

Rebora, A. (2008). Making a difference. Teacher Magazine, 2(1), 26, 28-31.

Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Virginia: ASCD.

Smets, W. and Struyven,K. (2018), Aligning with complexity: system-theoretical principles for research on differentiated instruction, Frontline Learning research, 6 (2), doi: 10.14786/flr.v6i2.340

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Differentiated instruction and assessment, also known as differentiated learning or, in education, simply, differentiation, is a framework or philosophy for effective teaching that involves providing all students within their diverse classroom community of learners a range of different avenues for understanding new information (often in the same classroom) in terms of: acquiring content; processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and developing teaching materials and assessment measures so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in their ability.