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Grades 6-8 ELA Curriculum: Appendix 2: Graphic Organizers | EngageNY

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Resources may contain links to sites external to the EngageNY.org website. These sites may not be within the jurisdiction of NYSED and in such cases NYSED is not responsible for its content.

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Strategies for Students with Disabilities

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Strategies for Students with Disabilities

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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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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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Product

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Page 7: Differentiate Product

When teachers differentiate product, they assess the same concept or skill for each student at the end of a unit of study; however, teachers offer their students a variety of ways to demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., video, written report). When doing so, the teacher strives to:

Make the product assignment challenging but not so difficult or complex that the students are unable to complete it on their own.

Provide clear directions.

Create a task that reflects real-world application.

Teachers should also include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (i.e., involving movement or hands-on activities) options as well as analytic, creative, and practical ones. They might also allow the students to complete the product alone or as a group. Although teachers typically allow students to choose the type of product they complete, they need to make clear that their students cannot always choose to complete the same type of product assignment. The table below highlights a few strategies for differentiating product. Click on each link to learn detailed information about implementing these strategies.
Tiered Products
Keep in Mind

To design and match the product assignments to the students' readiness levels, teachers should refer to the pre-assessment and ongoing assessments results.

As activities can be tiered to differentiate the learning process, so too can products be tiered to differentiate how students demonstrate their learning. When teachers assess students' knowledge in this way, they design a range of products that are challenging for students at different levels of readiness (in general low, middle, and high groups).

The example below illustrates the use of tiered products. By being aware of her students' readiness levels, the teacher has developed a different assignment for each level of learner: Group 1, below grade-level learners; Group 2, grade-level learners; and Group 3, above grade-level learners.

Key Concept: Make and Revise Predictions.
Lesson: Students have been reading a novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. They have just finished the first chapter and will make predictions based on the events that have transpired. Their predictions will come in written form and will be turned in at the end of class.

These students need to understand the events of the first chapter of the novel. They will have read the chapter but will answer questions given to them to check on their comprehension of the facts of the chapter first. After understanding the facts, they will write a letter from Kit to her friend in Barbados telling what she expects will happen next. The letter needs to be turned in at the end of the class.

These students will analyze the events in chapter one. They will analyze according to Kit's thoughts concerning her "disappointment in America." They will focus on analysis of why America would be disappointing to a person who was coming from Barbados. Do a prewriting exercise of creating a Venn diagram that shows a comparison of America (as Kit sees it) and Barbados (as Kit remembers it). Then use your information to write a journal entry from Kit's point of view that explains why she is so disappointed and predicts what she thinks will happen next. Turn in your journal entry at the end of the class.

These students will synthesize the words used in chapter one according to what the words help them learn about Kit. They will then predict what will happen next from a synthesis of the words used to tell the events in the first chapter. Important words to present to them to begin their search are embarrassment (p.6), dour-looking (p.7), impulsively (p.8), Heathen Island (p.11), Puritans (p.12), humiliation (p.13), respectable woman (p. 13), and nonchalance (p. 14). If they do not know word meanings, they should begin their search in a dictionary. Then they should write Kit's explanation (in any form they choose) of what has happened and what she predicts next. Turn in the piece at the end of class.

Adapted from http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/languagearts/la5r.htm
Tic Tac Toe
Tic-tac-toe, sometimes referred to as Think-tac-toe, is a method of offering students choices in the type of products they complete to demonstrate their knowledge. As in a traditional tic-tac-toe game, students are presented with a nine-cell table of options. The teacher should make sure that all options address the key concept or skill being learned. There are several variations on this method:

Students choose three product options that form a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line.

Students choose one product choice from each row or from each column (without forming a straight line).

The teacher can create two or more versions to address the different readiness levels.

In the example below, a high-school teacher creates a Tic-tac-toe assignment for a unit on Romeo and Juliet. The teacher wants the students to complete assignments for three categories: characters, setting, and theme. Notice that the teacher creates three assignments for each of these categories, resulting in a total of nine tasks from which students can choose.

Example

Directions: Complete one activity from each row.

Write an essay comparing and contrasting yourself to one of the major characters.

Create a list of at least five interview questions to ask Romeo or Juliet about what the reader should learn from their experiences. Create an audio including the questions and answers.

Now that you've read Romeo and Juliet and watched Westside Story, create a play that contains these two major characters and is set in modern times.

Choose your favorite scene and describe how the setting affects the mood of the play.

Choose your favorite scene and create a detailed scaled model of it.

Choose your favorite scene and write an essay describing the differences in the settings of Romeo and Juliet and Westside Story.

List five well-known quotes from the play. List the character who said the quote and describe how each quote relates to a major theme of the play.

Create a table that compares and contrasts the Montagues and Capulets with the Hatfields and McCoys.

Create a video trailer for a new version of the movie Romeo and Juliet.

Learning Menus
When teachers use learning menus, or choice boards, they offer students four to six options for producing a final product. Each choice should be challenging and should require approximately the same amount of time to complete. Below are some examples of product choices that teachers can include in a menu.

Although there are a number of ways to offer these choices, some teachers present them as a dinner menu. For this method, students often select one "entree" task and two "side-dish" tasks. Additionally, students may elect to complete a "dessert" task for enrichment. Below is an example of one such dinner menu.

The School Diner - Idioms

Appetizer (You must do this)

With a partner, select one idiom from the bulletin board. Discuss what you think the idiom means. Then look up the idiom in the book In a Pickle: And Other Funny Idioms, Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms, or Super Silly Sayings That Are Over Your Head: A Children's Illustrated Book of Idioms. You can find copies in the class library.

Entrees (You must do all)

Read one of the following books provided by the teacher:

Any Amelia Bedelia book

Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards

Reach for the Stars and Other Advice for Life's Journey

You Are What You Eat and Other Mealtime Hazards

Make a list of all of the idioms in the book and write their meaning.

Side Dishes (Select at least two)

Write an idiom you have heard used in your life and explain what it means. Draw a picture of what the main character of the story you read might do if he or she heard it.

Select an idiom from the bulletin board or one that you have heard used and add it to the story you read. Write at least 6 sentences.

With a partner, create a short skit using an idiom from the bulletin board or one that you have heard used.

Learn more about idioms from other cultures.

Read I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World

Use the bookmarks on the computer to visit several websites that illustrate idioms from other cultures.

RAFT
Teachers can offer students product choices by using a RAFT (role, audience, format, topic). Each column specifies the role the student will adopt, the audience he will address, the format of the work, and the topic to be addressed. Sometimes, students are asked to choose a row, and sometimes they are asked to make a selection from each column. In other instances, the teacher may assign students a row that matches their readiness levels. Typically, RAFTs can be completed in a relatively short amount of time and can be assigned as classwork or homework.
Example
A fourth-grade social studies class is studying the colonization of America. The teacher creates the following RAFT for this unit.

Tip

Teachers often find Bloom's taxonomy helpful when differentiating product based on student readiness.

Bloom's taxonomy identifies six levels of learning, from the most basic (i.e., recalling facts) to the most complex (i.e., evaluating information). For instance, when she creates a tiered assignment, the teacher often develops three levels of activities. For the lowest level, she might develop activities that assess students' knowledge and comprehension; for the middle group, she might assess their ability to apply and analyze information; for the high group, she might require them to synthesize and evaluate the information. The tables below present the hierarchy of six levels of learning. For each level of learning, the table provides verbs teachers often use when designing product assignments or test questions.

Knowledge

identify, list, arrange, define, describe, label, match, order

Comprehension

classify, summarize, predict, locate, discuss

Application

compute, demonstrate, show, solve, write

Analysis

compare, contrast, experiment, model, separate

Synthesis

arrange, combine, formulate, revise, propose

Evaluation

argue, defend, justify, appraise

Remembering

identify, list

Understanding

categorize, summarize, compare, explain, give examples, predict

Applying

perform lab test, solve a math problem, write an essay using correct grammar and punctuation

Analyzing

differentiate, draw conclusions, organize

Evaluating

determine, judge, critique, test

Creating

generate, plan, construct, design

For Your Information

Differentiating product contrasts with how teachers in a traditional classroom typically assess their students' knowledge-administering a written test at the end of a unit of study. Teachers in a traditional classroom often assume that a written test is an accurate indication of what their students have learned. However, issues such as a student's ability to read and comprehend text sometimes interfere with accurately assessing what the student knows. Although they should continue to administer written tests, teachers should redesign or build their tests so that they are differentiated.

When they create written tests to use in a differentiated classroom, teachers should keep a number of factors in mind:

Using a variety of question types. In addition to using traditional question types (see table below), teachers should include nontraditional question types such as analogies, demonstrations, drawings, and real-world applications. This allows teachers to determine which students have mastered the content or skill. Different students perform better on certain types of question types than on others, so having a variety of question types maximizes the probability that each student will have the opportunity to demonstrate his or her knowledge. Teachers should also use a combination of forced-choice items (e.g., matching, multiple choice) and constructed response items (e.g., create a timeline, write a short essay).

Write in simple language and use as few words as possible.

Avoid negatives (e.g., Which of these is not an example of an insect?).

Make sure the construction of the stem or answers does not give the answer away (e.g., The stem ends with "an" and only one answer begins with a vowel).

Write the definitions on the left and list the words on the right so that students read a definition and then scan the list of words instead of vice versa.

Keep all matching items on the same page.

Include no more than eight items.

Note: This type of question is good for struggling readers because it requires minimal reading.

Provide answer blanks and adequate space for written responses.

Understand that students' handwriting is often difficult to decipher.

Write sentences so that the blanks are near the end to minimize issues with reading comprehension.

Provide adequate space for the students to label.

Understand that students' handwriting is often difficult to decipher.

Note: This type of question works well for literature, history, science, and math.

Grade only the content being tested and not the students' writing skills (e.g., grammar, punctuation); an exception is the spelling of content area vocabulary.

Allow students to convey their knowledge in the most efficient manner (e.g., bulleted items, diagrams). Requiring them to write complete sentences may impede their ability to fully demonstrate their knowledge.

Teachers may want to avoid true/ false questions because they often involve the use of negatives, which are difficult for many students (e.g., Plants do not need sunlight to produce chlorophyll). Additionally, this test format is typically a difficult one for struggling readers and for students who experience test anxiety.

Provide a "T" and "F" for true/ false questions for the student to circle. This avoids the misinterpretation of a student's illegible written T's and F's. It also prevents students with handwriting challenges from tiring during the tests when they are required to write out "true" and "false."

Preteaching test-related vocabulary. Teachers should preteach unfamiliar words or phrases included in test items such as "compare" or "contrast."

Making the format efficient for students. This allows students to demonstrate their knowledge without having to spend time and energy navigating the layout of the test.

Highlighting key words. When words such as four, most, least, and excluding are highlighted, students are less likely to forget the criteria while formulating their answers.

Making test items straightforward. The test items should assess the students' knowledge of the content or skill. Items that include negatives or require overly complicated logic interfere with students' ability to accurately demonstrate their knowledge.

Specifying the criteria for constructed response items. Items that require the students to formulate responses (e.g., essays, short answers) should specify the criteria (e.g., length of essay, number of examples).

Using authentic assessment. Test students in the same way they were taught. For example, if students have been working on the addition of two-digit numbers using only computation problems, the test should not include word problems.

Adapted in part from Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing & Grading in the Differentiated Classroom, by R. Wormeli, 2006.

Teachers are sometimes concerned that if they allow their students to demonstrate their knowledge in ways other than written tests, these students will not be prepared to take standardized tests. Carol Ann Tomlinson discusses why this is not the case (time: 0:49).

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

Transcript: Carol Ann Tomlinson, EdD

A lot of times, teachers will feel like the standardized test is not going to be differentiated, so I can't differentiate now because they won't be prepared for that test. Teaching is not the test. The test is one moment in a time. You can give kids hints on how to take tests. They can take a couple of dry runs. But to teach them in ways that are ineffective for nine months before the test comes is not likely to benefit them much. What some research suggests to us is that kids do better on standardized tests when the teaching-learning process is a fit for them, even if the standardized test is not in their preferred way of learning. And probably the two reasons for that is that they learn more on the way to the test, and they also develop more confidence as a learner.

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When teachers differentiate product, they assess the same concept or skill for each student at the end of a unit of study; however, teachers offer their students a variety of ways to demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., video, written report).

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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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Content

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Page 5: Differentiate Content

When teachers differentiate content, the same concept or skill is taught to each student; however, the curriculum used to teach the concept or skill might be different for different students. The table below highlights a number of strategies that teachers can use to differentiate content and indicates the student characteristic addressed:

readiness interest, and learning profile

Click on each link for detailed information about implementing these strategies.
Tiered Content
One way to differentiate content for heterogeneous classrooms is to tier content. When teachers tier content, all students complete the same type of activity (e.g., worksheet, report), but the content varies in difficulty. Typically students are divided into three groups based on readiness levels. The activities assigned to the low, middle, and high groups (groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) differ in terms of complexity. Below is an example of content that is tiered by readiness.

Key Concept: Students develop an understanding of units of time.

Lesson: The teacher uses the book The Official M & M's Book of the Millennium as a means of providing background about time in general and more specifically about the formation of the calendar.

After the teacher reads the first three pages of the book and illustrates the addition of various time units including Roman numerals, the students work in pairs to complete a worksheet which contains some simple problems involving the addition of time units including some which are written in Roman numerals.Next the teacher reads with the students the remainder of the book, which is all about calendars. Students work in pairs to complete a worksheet, which has questions pertaining to the present day Gregorian calendar.

After the students read the first three pages of the book and the teacher illustrates the addition of various time units, the students work in pairs to complete a worksheet which contains more difficult problems involving the addition of time units most of which are written in Roman numerals. Next the students read the remainder of the book, which is all about calendars. Students work in pairs to complete a worksheet, which compares the early Roman calendars with the present day Gregorian calendar.

After the students read the first three pages of the book, the students work in pairs to complete a worksheet of problems of various difficulty levels, which involve the addition of time units all expressed Roman numerals. Next the students read the remainder of the book, which is all about calendars. Students then work in a group to orally compare the various calendars (Chinese, Aztec, & Roman), which are presented in the book. Then the students create a worksheet, which asks questions about the three calendars.

Adapted from https://www.in.gov/doe/files/Fourth-Readiness-Math.pdf
(Close this panel) Providing a Variety of Materials
Teachers can differentiate content based on readiness level, interests, or learning profile by offering a variety of materials. This allows students to access the information in the way that works best for them. Teachers might consider offering:

A range of textbooks: In addition to the grade-level text, the teacher can provide texts one or two grade levels below and above the grade-level text. This allows students who are struggling with the reading level or the complexity of the skill to access the content at the level that is best for them. It also allows students who know the content or quickly master it to have the opportunity to work on more advanced skills.

Supplemental materials: These materials might include Internet resources, magazines, newspapers, books on CDs, videos, and computer games.

Teachers might want to build a library of varied textbooks and supplemental materials for differentiating instruction. This library of materials may grow over time as the teacher accumulates used and new books. Alternatively, teachers might locate these resources at the school media center or the public library.
(Close this panel) Presentation Styles
When they present content, teachers should utilize a variety of presentation styles; that is, they should provide learners with a variety of media and formats that allows students to choose what works best for them. Multiple media and formats also allow students to develop a deeper understanding of concepts by providing opportunities to interact with those concepts in a variety of ways. The table below highlights different methods of presenting content.

Say It
Lecture
Discussion
Questioning
Read Aloud
Verbal Description

Show It
Pictures/ Graphic
Transparency
White Board
Film
Caption

Model It
Demonstrate
Think Aloud
Act Out
Build/ Construct
Use Manipulatives
(Close this panel) Scaffolding
For students who struggle with learning a new skill or content, the teacher can provide instructional scaffolding, a process through which a teacher adds supports for students in order to enhance learning and aid in the mastery of tasks. The teacher does this by systematically building on a student's experiences and knowledge as he or she learns a new skill. As the student increasingly masters the task, the supports are gradually removed. The teacher may need to consider different ways to scaffold for those who have difficulty reading and understanding text and for those who have difficulty mastering a new task.

Difficulty Reading and Understanding Text

The table below suggests a number of ways to scaffold instruction for students who have difficulty reading and comprehending text. The teacher can use the following strategies to help students understand the content. In the beginning, the teacher may be actively involved in helping students implement the strategy. As they learn the strategy, however, the teacher gradually turns over responsibility for implementing the strategy to the students.

Strategy

Examples of Strategy

Activate prior knowledge

An instructional tool that students use to indicate what they already Know about a topic, what they Want to learn, and, after reading, what they have Learned.

Preteach new vocabulary

Make predictions

Use cues (e.g., title, illustrations) to make a prediction

Address unfamiliar words

Look up word and record definition

Monitor comprehension

Use mental imagery

Retell or summarize

1-minute retell with partner

Make a diorama, poster, or collage

Make a comic book version

Difficulty Mastering a Task

When a student experiences difficulty learning a new skill or task, the teacher can scaffold the instruction by specifying the task's steps (i.e., a task analysis) and then modeling those steps while thinking aloud. For example, a teacher scaffolds instruction for a student who is having difficulty adding two two-digit numbers. To begin, the teacher performs a task analysis, breaking the task into manageable steps. Next, the teacher models each step in the task multiple times and allows time for the student to practice. As the student masters the task, the supports are gradually removed.

Task Analysis
(adding two two-digit numbers)

Step 1:
Add the numbers in the one's column.

Step 2:
If the sum is less than 10, write the number under the one's column. If the sum is 10 or greater, write the one's digit under the one's column and write the ten's digit on top of the ten's column.

Step 3:
Add the numbers in the ten's column. If applicable, be sure to include the number you carried.

Step 4:
Write the sum of the numbers under the ten's column.

To learn more about scaffolding, view the following IRIS Module:
(Close this panel) Learning Contracts
A learning contract is an agreement between the teacher and student that specifies in writing the work the student will complete in a given amount of time. A learning contract allows teachers to differentiate the curriculum based on the student's readiness level or learning profile. When negotiating the contract, the teacher and student need to specify the task to be completed, when it will be completed, the quantity and quality of the work, the criteria by which it will be evaluated, and when appropriate the resulting grade. The contract might also include the consequences for not meeting the terms. Click on the graphics below to view an example of a learning contract or to download a blank learning contract.

Developing effective learning contracts generally requires the skills and proficiency of an experienced teacher. When utilizing learning contracts, the teacher should consider the following:

Some students might complete their contract early. The teacher should prepare for this and have additional activities related to the content (e.g., computer activities) available for the student.

Students often require assistance in managing their time. Teachers can provide students with supports, such as daily planning, to help them to stay on schedule.

Unexpected events (e.g., student is absent, technical glitches) may prohibit the student from completing the contract by the specified due date. In such cases, the teacher might want to offer additional time to complete the contract.

(Close this panel) Compacting
To differentiate instruction for advanced learners who have already mastered certain content or skills, teachers may want to consider compacting the curriculum. Doing so allows students to skip content they know or to proceed quickly through content. This strategy targets students' readiness levels and it can be applied to any subject and at any grade level. Compacting the curriculum involves three steps:

Step 1: Assess student knowledge

Prior to the lesson or unit, the teacher assesses the student. Students who score 90% or higher on the pretest might be compacted out of the entire unit, whereas students who score 80-89% (partial mastery) might be compacted out of a portion of it.

Step 2: Create plan for mastering all parts of the curriculum

The teacher creates a plan to make sure the student learns any content not yet mastered.

Step 3: Create plan for enrichment activities

Because students are excused for some or all of the related lessons and assignments for content they have mastered or will learn quickly, the teacher and the student design a plan for how the student will spend his or her free time. To make the student accountable for this work, the teacher may want to present this plan in writing in the form of a compacting agreement (i.e., a specialized learning contract).

Click on the graphics below to view an example of a compacting agreement or to download a blank learning contract specific to compacting.

Research Shows

The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) conducted a study of curriculum compacting. This study included 436 teachers and 783 students in grades 2-6. Researchers found that when 40-50% of the curriculum was eliminated for selected students in a given subject area, no differences were found between the students who received compacting and those who received the full curriculum on the end-of-year achievement test. In other words, the students who experienced a compacted curriculum did not score lower than their peers on these tests.
Reis et. al., (1992).
(Close this panel)
Making adjustments to these instructional elements often requires teachers to change their approach to instruction. Listen as Carol Ann Tomlinson discusses why this is often the biggest challenge teachers encounter when they begin to differentiate instruction (time: 0:46).

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

Transcript: Carol Ann Tomlinson, EdD

At its core, differentiation is an instructional model, and standards are a curricular issue. So what differentiation really says to teachers is you tell me what you need to teach, and we can show you how to teach it more flexibly and more effectively. So, in essence, differentiation can show you how to differentiate learning the phonebook or how to differentiate learning Shakespeare. So on that level there is no conflict, because differentiation isn't trying to tell you what you have to teach. It's just suggesting that frequently teaching in more than one way or with a little more flexibility will help kids learn whatever it is you're trying to teach more effectively.

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When teachers differentiate content, the same concept or skill is taught to each student; however, the curriculum used to teach the concept or skill might be different for different students. The table below highlights a number of strategies that teachers can use to differentiate content and indicates the student characteristic addressed: readiness interest, and learning profile Click on each link for detailed information about implementing these strategies.

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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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How do teachers differentiate instruction?

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Process

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Page 6: Differentiate Process

When teachers differentiate process, they teach the same concept or skill to each student; however, the manner in which each student makes sense of the topic or skill can vary. Therefore, teachers should vary the activities students use to master the concepts or skills. They can decide how best to do this by taking into account their students' readiness levels, interests, or learning profiles. Teachers can break the students into groups or pairs to work on different activities or might assign individual tasks. The table below suggests several strategies for differentiating process. Click on each link for detailed information about implementing these strategies.
Tiered Activities
For Your Information

When teachers tier content, all students complete the same activity (e.g., a worksheet, report), but the content varies in difficulty. When teachers tier process, the activities by which the students learn information vary in complexity.

One way to differentiate process for heterogeneous classrooms is to design tiered lessons. When teachers tier a lesson, they design instructional tasks that are challenging for students at different levels of readiness: low, middle, and high levels. Although the students should master the same content or core skills, the means by which they do so vary. The activities assigned to the low, middle, and high groups often differ in complexity, depth of information, or level of abstraction.

Before tiering a lesson on a particular skill or topic area, the teacher should preassess the students. She should then use that information to help assign students to each of the readiness levels and to begin designing the lesson.

Step 1:

Consider your students' range of knowledge on the topic or about the skill, their prior knowledge, and their reading levels. Also keep in mind your students' interests and learning profiles.

Step 2:

Create an activity that is challenging, engaging, and targets the topic or skill.

Some teachers prefer to begin with the middle group and then design activities for students who are struggling and those who are more advanced. Others prefer to design an activity that is challenging for the advanced learners and modify for the average and struggling learners to ensure that high standards are maintained for each group. The table below outlines features for a tiered lesson with three groups that target struggling, average, and advanced learners.

Group 1: Students who are struggling with a topic

Requires less difficult independent reading.

Has materials based on the average reading level of the participants, which is usually below grade level.

Has spare text and lots of graphic aids.

Has a low level of abstraction (i.e., is as concrete as possible).

Requires fewer steps to complete the assignment

Converges on "right answers" to solve problems.

Requires only knowledge and comprehension levels of thinking for independent work.

Includes supportive strategies, such as graphic organizers or teacher prompting to help students infer and draw conclusions. (i.e., use higher level thinking skills)

Group 2: Average learners

Includes independent reading materials from the textbook or other on-grade level sources.

Uses concrete concepts to help students transition to more abstract concepts.

Includes questions or problems that are a mix of open-ended and "right answers."

Can have more steps.

Expects students to infer and draw conclusions with less teacher support. Teacher should count on being on hand if necessary to prompt students in this area.

Ensures that students can be successful with knowledge, comprehension, and application on their own, and that with help they can address some of the high levels of thinking

Group 3: Advanced or gifted learners

Includes reading materials from sources more complex than the textbook, if possible.

Requires more lengthy sources because students can read faster than lower or average students.

Focuses on abstract concepts as much as possible and uses open-ended questions exclusively.

Requires students to infer and evaluate.

Assumes students have knowledge, comprehension, and application abilities, and that they will be challenged only if you ask them to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate.

Adapted from Spencer Northey, S. (2005). Handbook on Differentiated Instruction for Middle and High Schools. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, p. 76

Below is an example of a lesson that is tiered in process (according to readiness). Note how each group is working on different tasks even though all students are working on the same key concept.

Key Concept: Reading books with chapters to show how ideas are advanced.
Lesson: Chapters 3 and 4 of the book Help, I'm a Prisoner in the Library (students have previously read chapters 1 and 2.)

This group will work on knowledge/ comprehension tasks for chapters 3 and 4.

1. Where does Mary Rose find the phone?

2. Which sister has the bigger imagination? How does she picture the librarian in her mind? Find the passage on p. 23 that describes her idea of the librarian and write down the descriptive words.

3. What is a blizzard?

(Note: For illustrative purposes, only 3 of 10 questions have been listed.)

Now draw a picture of some part of chapters 3 and 4 that you think is the scariest.

This group will work at the analysis level to study the events in chapters 3 and 4.

1. Make two lists, one with Mary Rose at the top and one with Jo-Beth at the top. Under each girl, list things about her that you find in these chapters.

2. Now create a Venn diagram in which you draw two circles with a part of each circle joining the other circle. In the joined section, put words that show things that are the same for both girls. In the part of the circles that is not shared, put your words from each of your lists about the girls.

3. Explain your circle diagram to the class.

Share with the class your descriptions in your Venn diagrams.

This group will work on synthesis/ evaluation tasks for chapters 3 and 4.

1. Tell the story from the point of view of the Mynah bird. Go back through chapters 3 and 4 and first list all the things the Mynah bird sees and says. Then write these chapters from its point of view.

2. Or-Think about all the scary things that happen in chapters 3 and 4. List them in order from least scary to most scary telling why each item is scary.

Share your work with the class during sharing time.

Adapted from http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/languagearts/la4r.htm
Learning Centers
A learning center is a defined area of the classroom organized around a topic, theme, or activity in which students learn, practice, or build on a concept or skill. Learning centers, most often used in elementary classrooms, are an effective way for teachers to offer a range of activities that can target students' readiness levels, interests, or learning profiles. The center should contain the instructions and the materials that students will need to complete the activity. If the teacher is using the center to differentiate by readiness level, it is helpful to color-code the materials. Although students can work in small groups or pairs to complete a learning center activity, they often complete these activities independently.

Learning Center

This is an example of a learning center based on readiness level (struggling students, red folders; average students, orange folders; advanced students, green folders).

Theme: Metamorphosis
Unit of Study: Insects
Materials: Plastic models of each stage of the butterfly's life cycle, pictures of all stages of the life cycle, poster of different caterpillars and the corresponding butterflies, books about the butterfly's life cycle, a bug box containing several caterpillars.

Tip

Students find learning centers more engaging if they are decorated with items that relate to the topic of the activity. For example, during a history unit on the Pilgrims, the learning center might contain a trunk of period clothing and be decorated to represent the deck of the Mayflower.

In addition to learning centers, learning stations and interest centers offer students opportunities to acquire information about a topic or skill.

Learning Stations

Learning stations are areas of the classroom organized around a topic, theme, or skill. They can target students' readiness levels, interests, or learning profiles. The teacher creates several stations that cover portions of the material. To learn about the topic, students must complete the activities at each station. For example, during a unit on weather, the teacher might create four learning stations: temperature, atmospheric pressure, clouds, and the water cycle.

Interest Centers

Interest centers are a type of learning center. They provide an opportunity for students to acquire in-depth knowledge about a topic of interest. Unlike in traditional learning centers, students are not required to complete the activities in the center but can choose to visit the center when time allows. The topic might or might not be related to the unit of study. For example, when teaching about metamorphosis using the life cycle of the butterfly, the teacher might also create an interest center focusing on the life cycle of the frog so that students can delve deeper into the topic.
Interactive Journals
An interactive journal, sometimes referred to as a dialogue journal, is a notebook in which the student and teacher communicate through writing. The teacher can differentiate instruction by varying the journal prompts for different groups of students based on interests or readiness level. The teacher should introduce journaling as an in-class activity. He or she can allow students up to ten minutes at the beginning or end of class once or twice per week to complete an entry. When students understand the procedures for completing a journal entry, the teacher might assign this activity as homework. After the students complete their entries, the teacher should read them and respond in a timely manner. Because this activity is meant to encourage students to write openly, the teacher should not correct grammar, spelling, or content. Instead, the teacher should model good writing. Below is an example.

When you told me about yourself, you said that last year you visited Spain with your family. That is wonderful! I want to know more about it. Why did you go and how long were you there? What did you see and what was your favorite part of the trip? What was the food like?

I went to Spain with my family last year. It was a vacation, we were there for two weeks. My mother speaks spanish. I saw Alcazar, a castle in Sevil that is really old. There were other castles too. I learned that Spain was once conquerred by the Moors, who were north Africans. My favorite part of the trip was the beach and swimming. Me and my sisters rode horses too. The food in Spain was really, really good. I liked patatas bravas, which is kind of like French fries. I liked the fish too but not chiperones. It is squid.

Tip

By staggering the reading of student journals across several days, teachers give themselves more time to respond thoughtfully.

For Your Information

Teachers can use journals as a form of ongoing assessment. By reading a student's journal entry, the teacher can determine his or her depth of understanding and identify gaps in his or her knowledge.
Graphic Organizers
A graphic organizer, sometimes called a web or concept map, can be a diagram, outline, or chart on which students arrange information. By using graphic organizers, students can:

Gather important information

Organize information

More easily process information

See relationships between ideas

More easily understand, remember, and apply information

As a general rule, graphic organizers should be simple in nature. To maximize differentiation, the teacher should be very flexible when using graphic organizers. The teacher can do this by:

Allowing students to choose the type of graphic organizer to use

Allowing students to choose how to complete the organizer (e.g., with text, with illustrations, in home language)

Filling in some, a little, or none of the graphic organizer for students at different levels

Providing direct access to the information needed to complete the organizer versus asking students to research the information independently

Providing a graphic organizer that requires basic information instead of very detailed information

To learn more about different types of graphic organizers, see the table below.

Venn Diagram

An organizer that helps students understand what information two topics have in common, as well as what is unique to each.

Frayer Model

An organizer that helps students learn about new concepts. The new word is written in the middle and the student fills in the remaining boxes.

KWL Chart

An organizer to determine what students know about a topic, what they want to learn, and what they have learned. The first two columns are filled in before reading the material and the last column is filled in as the student progresses through the unit (e.g., added to column at the end of each day) or at the end of the unit.

Flow Chart

An organizer that helps students describe a process or other sequential information.

Word Web

An organizer that helps students describe a process or other sequential information. An organizer that helps students gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of a word.

The word is written in the center and synonyms, antonyms, and examples are written in shapes that surround the center word.

Tree Diagram

An organizer that helps students understand hierarchical relationships.

Jigsaw Activities
Jigsaw is a cooperative learning strategy in which the class is divided into small groups consisting of five to six students. These small groups serve as the students' home base. Each member of the home-base group is assigned to an "expert" group to learn a portion of the content. After the students meet in their expert group and learn their specified content, they return to their home-base groups to share what they have learned with the other group members. This strategy allows everyone in the class to learn all the content relevant to the subject, as opposed to just the piece they were responsible for. The jigsaw strategy can be implemented during one class period or across a number of class periods, depending on the depth or complexity of the content or skill being learned.

1. Create small heterogeneous groups of five to six students (i.e., home-base groups).

2. Assign one student per group to be the leader.

3. Divide the lesson into sections. The number of sections will depend on how many students are in the groups.

4. Assign one student from each group to learn a section of the lesson. Teachers can assign students based on readiness or interest.

5. Allow students time to study the content for the section they have been assigned.

6. Direct students to meet with students from other groups who have been assigned the same section of the lesson (i.e., "expert" groups). Give students time to learn the content and to practice how they will present this information to their home-base groups.

7. Instruct students to return to their home-base groups.

8. Provide time for each student in the home-base group to report their findings. Also encourage group members to ask questions of the presenter for greater understanding and clarification. (Note: The leader will be responsible for making sure that each member of the group is given time to present their information and participate in the discussion.)

9. Monitor the groups.

10. Assess the students' understanding of the concept or skill.

In the example that follows, the teacher uses the ten steps listed above to implement the jigsaw strategy during a unit on Brazil. He implements this strategy across a one-week period.
Manipulatives
Teachers can differentiate instruction by providing manipulatives for those students who are having difficulty understanding a concept. Manipulatives are concrete objects that students can use to develop a conceptual understanding of a topic or skill. These objects help students represent the idea they are trying to learn or the problem they are trying to solve. For example, the teacher might demonstrate the idea of fractions by slicing a pie into pieces. It is important that the teacher make explicit the connection between the concrete object and the abstract concept being taught. Below are several examples of students using manipulatives.

A student uses a number line (i.e., a visual representation) to add two single-digit numbers.

Two students use an abacus to practice counting by fives.

A student uses colored cubes to work on pattern recognition.

Tip

Another way to differentiate process is to vary the length of time students have to complete a task. This allows struggling students more time to grasp the concept and permits advanced students more time to delve deeper into a topic.

Watch the video below to learn how one teacher differentiates process in her classroom. In particular, she discusses the use of manipulatives and learning centers (time: 4:21).

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When teachers differentiate process, they teach the same concept or skill to each student; however, the manner in which each student makes sense of the topic or skill can vary. Therefore, teachers should vary the activities students use to master the concepts or skills.

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Teacher Tested Strategies for Differentation

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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What Differentiation Is-Is Not

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You have probably come to this article for one of two reasons: Either you want to start differentiating instruction in your classroom and don't know where to start, or you already differentiate, but want to see if you're missing anything. I have combed through tons of online resources on how to differentiate instruction, and have put together this collection of the clearest, most high-quality resources for learning how to differentiate in your classroom. Off we go, then!

Lots of teachers think they are differentiating, when they really kind of aren't. So before you get started, give yourself a solid overview of what differentiation is (and isn't) and how it works. To do that, you need to read Carol Tomlinson, whose work is the gold standard in differentiation. Her book, How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms , is the best one I've seen on the subject. And it's short: At just over 100 pages, it's a fast, easy read, and is full of useful information that will set you on the path toward high-quality differentiation.

In addition to explaining basic principles, the book shows you how to manage a differentiated classroom, teaches you specific strategies, and lets you peek inside a few sample differentiated classrooms so you can see how all the parts work together. I really can't recommend this book highly enough...get it!

Reading about how to differentiate on paper is helpful, but seeing other teachers actually doing it will give you a far better understanding of how to implement the strategies in your own classroom.

This Edutopia video shows how one school has set up a system they call Reteach and Enrich, where time is built into the schedule every day to reteach students who haven't met learning targets or provide enrichment activities for those who have. Watching this process in action makes it really clear HOW to make it work:

In this Teaching Channel video (click below), high school math teacher Maria Barchi demonstrates how she tiers instruction by giving different exit slips to students based on their mastery of a lesson, then adjusts instruction the following day based on their responses:

Below, second grade teacher Robert Pronovost shows how he uses two separate online programs, Planet Turtle and Dreambox, to meet students' individual needs in 2nd grade math (Teaching Channel):

The next video shows 5th grade teacher Stacy Brewer demonstrating how she differentiates process for readiness in writing responses to a text: Because this group of ELL students needs additional help, she works with them while the rest of the class responds to their questions independently (Teaching Channel).

Finally, this Teaching Channel video shows how Mary Vagenas uses Learning Menus to differentiate in her 7th grade Social Studies class:

Once you understand the basic principles of differentiation, it's a good idea to have a few basic tools on hand.

Task Cards
What are task cards? They are all the rage in some classrooms: The basic idea is that you take tasks and questions that might normally appear on worksheets and put them onto laminated cards (one item per card), which allows you to better individualize instruction, set up centers, and group students according to need (plus, you can re-use them year after year!). You can make your own or browse through thousands on Teachers Pay Teachers. This free e-book by Rachel Lynette explains how to use them in detail:

Tiered Lesson Template
This blog post from Marsha McGuire at A Differentiated Kindergarten shows you how to plan a tiered lesson and includes an editable template. Even though the featured classroom is a kindergarten, Marsha's system would work effectively with all age groups.

Using Color to Help You Tier Differentiated Activities

Learning Menus
This packet from the University of Virginia Curry School of Education teaches you how to create learning menus or choice menus, which offer students a variety of learning activities to choose from, depending on their interests and learning profiles.

Choice Menus (PDF)

There's No Time to Differentiate: Myth-Busting DI, Part 2
by John McCarthy
This Edutopia article discusses some of the myths about and objections to differentiation.

Dr. Kathie Nunley's Layered Curriculum
This website is based entirely on the Layered Curriculum philosophy. Somewhere between a learning menu and a tiered unit, a layered curriculum looks like an interesting take on differentiation and is worth a look once you've got the basics down.

Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom
by Carol Tomlinson and Marcia Imbeau
Although I have not read this one, I got a recommendation from Dr. Jennifer Beasley, an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Arkansas. "This is a practical guide for how to begin to establish routines and practices that facilitate differentiation. We all know that we could have the most beautiful lesson on paper and see that same lesson fall apart in the classroom as a result of forgetting to give directions for handing out materials. This resource offers many practical examples for putting some routines in place to allow for working in groups, answering questions, or even talking with your students about differentiation."

If you thought this was helpful, stick around.
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A Starter Kit for Differentiated Instruction

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A collection of the clearest, most high-quality books, articles, videos, and downloadable documents for learning how to differentiate in your classroom.