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Differentiation and Inclusive Instruction 2025

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Use the self-reflection tool to consider how you are currently differentiating, then discuss takeaways with your group.

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Review the strategies then discuss your experiences with using them with your group.

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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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Use the scaffolding examples and information in the scaffolding column and the SDI column of this padlet to plan how to support a student you know in an upcoming lesson.

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Differentiation Planning Tools

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Planning for Barriers If...Then Activity

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DI Video Choice Board

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Differentiation Video Choice Board ES-MS-HS

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DI Planning Activity

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Use the station planning guide and examples to create your own activities...if time permits, visit the station teaching padlet at: Station Teaching (padlet.com): https://padlet.com/michellelockwood1/station-teaching-30r32wl9bhw0x6nr

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Targeted Differentiation Questions and Ideas

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Make a copy and use this tracker to record your responses to the case studies

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Select one of the students, then complete the Case Study Input Tracker for your student.

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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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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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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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Page 4: Differentiate Instructional Elements

As teachers begin to differentiate instruction, there are three main instructional elements that they can adjust to meet the needs of their learners:

Content-the knowledge and skills students need to master

Process-the activities students use to master the content

Product-the method students use to demonstrate learning

Differentiating instruction involves making changes to one or more of these elements. There is no prescribed way to differentiate instruction: The changes a teacher makes to each of the classroom elements depends on the needs of his or her students.

For Your Information

The learning environment is sometimes included as one of the classroom elements associated with differentiated instruction. It refers to the organization and atmosphere of the classroom. Without an effective learning environment with rules, procedures, and respect for others, differentiating content, process, and product might be more difficult to accomplish and may not result in the expected positive outcomes. Some ways in which the teacher can differentiate the learning environment include:

Creating places in the room where students can work quietly without distraction while also providing areas where students can work together

Offering multicultural materials

Developing procedures for students to get help when they are working with other students

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: 1:14).

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

Transcript: Carol Ann Tomlinson, EdD

I think the biggest challenge in differentiation is not differentiation itself but change. There really is nothing that is particularly complicated about what differentiation asks teachers to do. But most of us develop pretty deep ruts of teaching within our first two or three years, and those ruts and routines become the rhythm of the day. And differentiation does ask you to break out of those. So I think it really is not so much adopting a new thing but shedding the old thing that really is the challenge. For example, most teachers have learned to direct classrooms with sort of a frontal control mechanism with the belief that we have to be standing in front of the kids for them to learn anything, and that if we let them work collaboratively or independently they would self-destruct. We are much more comfortable giving one set of directions and asking everybody to do the same thing and start and stop at the same time. And those are pretty big patterns, and it's a little hard to differentiate instruction and maintain those patterns. So it's frequently learning to think in a new way, I think, that's the greatest challenge.

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IRIS | Page 4: Differentiate Instructional Elements

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As teachers begin to differentiate instruction, there are three main instructional elements that they can adjust to meet the needs of their learners: Content-the knowledge and skills students need to master Process-the activities students use to master the content Product-the method students use to demonstrate learning Differentiating instruction involves making changes to one or more of these elements.

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How to Use Total Physical Response (TPR) in the Classroom - TeachHUB

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As an educator, how do you teach vocabulary and language? Do some students struggle? Learn more about how to use Total Physical Response in the classroom.

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The Inclusive Class Project - Using Visuals to Engage Learners

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Ed Tech

Sometimes, we just need some help organizing our thoughts - students AND educators.

Paper versions of graphic organizers can do a nice job of that. But by making them digital in Google Apps, they instantly become customizable. Multiple people can collaborate on them in real time. They can be shared with a link, embedded in a website or downloaded as an image file.

In short, digital graphic organizers are more versatile.

In Google Apps, there's a highly powerful yet highly overlooked app called Drawings. It gives users a blank canvas where they can add text, shapes, lines, etc. When done, they can save their work as image files or PDF files and can add those images to documents, slides and spreadsheets.
Drawings can be the virtual page where students can gather and process their ideas.

I used to shy away from doing a lot of graphic organizers because it's hard to design them in Google Docs; the moment I learned that you could change the page set-up to 8.5 x 11 inches, my world CHANGED. Now I rarely use Google Docs to make *anything*; I use Google Slides by default because I can add more graphics and have better control of the overall configuration. - Amy Nolan, high school English teacher, Commerce, Texas

Creating graphic organizer templates with Google Drawings

As Amy mentioned above, Google Slides can be used to create these as well as Google Drawings. The difference - Drawings focuses on one single page; Slides has multiple slides, which allows for multiple pages.

I've created 15 of them (see links below) that can be copied, saved, changed, tweaked or completely redone to fit your needs and your students' needs. We have added 10 more that were created by the Ditch That Textbook community and shared with us for this post.

It took me about 90 minutes to make 15 of them so that averages out to six minutes each. (Some were more time-consuming than others, and I got faster at making them as I progressed.)

Sharing your Google Drawings graphic organizers
Once you've created a graphic organizer (or have saved one of mine), there are a few easy ways to get them to your students:

If you use Google Classroom, create a new assignment and choose the option to deliver a copy of your graphic organizer to each student.

You can copy the URL (link) to the graphic organizer and deliver it to students via a class website, SeeSaw etc. You can also make a shorter, easier URL to type with URL shorteners like Bitly and TinyURL. (Check your Internet filter to make sure your shortened URLs come through. I've found that TinyURL works in most schools' filters.)

Using the blue "Share" button, click the "Get shareable link" button and set the document as "Anyone with the link" at the top and "Can view" at the bottom. That way, students won't be able to change your original copy and will have to make a copy of their own.

PRO TIP: When you copy a URL (link) to any G Suite file, it probably says "view" or "edit" at the end of it. If you change that word to "copy", it will force whoever opens that link to make a copy of the file instead of opening your file. That's another trick to keeping your original version from being altered. (If you assign it through Google Classroom, you won't need to do this.)

Here are 25 graphic organizer templates that can be used for many different subject areas and grade levels.

Feel free to make a copy of any of these google drawings templates and adapt them for your own use:

Question: What other graphic organizers would be useful to create in Google Drawings? Can you share a link to a graphic organizer you've created so others can use it, too? Leave a comment below!

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25 FREE Google Drawings graphic organizers - and how to make your own

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Using Google Drawings to create graphic organizers can help students gather their thoughts and customize to their needs. Here are 25 templates to get you started.

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Fidgets in the Classroom from Paula Kluth

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Fidgets in the Classroom from Paula Kluth

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Paula Kluth illustrates an example from "From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks"

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Looking for ways to help students transfer what they learn in direct instruction to collaborative and independent practice? Graphic organizers are one of my favorite teaching resources because of their versatility. Plus, they provide access points for all students to participate in critical thinking and discussion, regardless of their readiness levels. In essence, they often differentiate themselves.

1. Reading Strategies

Whether you're teaching students to analyze point of view or bias...or you're working on developing reading strategies like inferring and visualizing, graphic organizers can help. Through direct instruction, model thinking for students using excerpts of high interest texts. Then, provide students with the scaffolding they need to begin working a small group format by using a graphic organizer.

I like to keep copies of this set of reading graphic organizers handy so that I can pull them out when students need some guidance. Differentiate by targeting specific skills with the students who need to develop them.

2. Root Words

What's better than teaching students to identify root words? Helping them to form a visual association! I create anchor charts to help students understand the concept of a root word, which is complex for many students. I love anchor charts, but I want students to be able to play with words in the same way.

So, I give them a handout version of a root words anchor chart, and we come back to it as we discuss root words and related words. The connections? With this brain-based approach, they stick better!

3. Literary Analysis

Literary analysis is such a large part of standards learning. I've noticed that in order to promote metacognition about analysis, they need some explicit instruction about what it is, why we use it, and the vast range of texts it can apply to. So, I began incorporating a literary analysis unit.

We explore a variety of genres of literature, and with each type (commercials, songs, fiction, nonfiction, poems, movies, and paired texts), we use a graphic organizer that prompts students to think from certain angles about what they are reading. Teaching students to learn ask these questions themselves is part of teaching literary analysis!

4. Book Fit

Levels don't work with helping most older students find "Just Right" books. Graphic organizers have a much more positive association with reading than levels anyway. Try using a reading ladder visual with students to help them track what they are reading. I use a ladder to explain that the "right" book for them really is the one they want to read. After all, if they realize they reached a shelf too high and are frustrated or a couple shelves too low and are bored, they can always reshelve the book and pick another!

5. Stop and Jots

Transitions are hard for some students...and some classes in general. We have to be creative with how we build thinking into those transitions so that students don't even realize they are transitioning! For example, I love using stop and jots. They're the perfect opportunity to get students either reflecting on what they just did or anticipating what they will be learning next.

Have some graphic organizers handy to make your stop and jots visually appealing and so that students can doodle, sketch, or color if they finish before others. Stop and jots are incredibly helpful at providing formative feedback for the teacher as well. ( Grab a couple of these for free in my resource library by signing up here.)

6. Poetry Analysis

When we read poetry, I want students to study the diction, to visualize the figurative language, to feel the tone and mood. Poets craft their work stylistically for effect, so it's fun to study author's craft in poetry analysis. In order to put all of the analytical pieces of the puzzle together, why not use an organizer?

A poetry graphic organizer can help break down the analysis into chunks so students can focus on each element separately. Then, they can synthesize their thinking using symbolic color and scaffolding to create a poetry one pager.

7. Essay Acronyms

In order to let students fly with their creativity as writers, we need to provide a solid foundation of knowledge they can draw from. Not all students need the same type or amount of scaffolding, but I've noticed almost all students appreciate having a general idea of what is expected. If we just say, Go write an essay!, they have certain ideas already in mind based upon what they have written in previous years.

My writers who need more step-by-step instruction benefit from paragraph acronyms organizers. Acronyms help ground them. They have an idea of what type of information to include where. We might be tempted to think that students who excel at writing can just go do, and maybe they can! Yet, it helps to reduce their stress and anxiety if we give them a guideline that they can build off of, refer to, and even deviate from to make their writing unique.

8. Literature Standards

I haven't met a teacher who doesn't love reading short stories with students. But, the short story isn't dong any teaching if all we are doing is reading it. When I design a lesson involving a short story (or even a novel), I begin by identifying what standard I'm teaching. Then, I deconstruct it and create a graphic organizerthat will help scaffold the analysis process for that standard.

When used with literature like short stories and novels, graphic organizers help to ground students' thinking, build confidence, and save time. Plus, they make for great discussion prep!

9. One Pagers

It's always helpful to use graphic organizers when students need some scaffolding with an abstract task, like the ever-popular alternative to the essay: one pagers! Use graphic organizers to help students brainstorm ideas to include in their one pager as well as how they want to structure and display that information.

Often, students learn to enjoy creating both informational text and literature one pagers when they have a graphic organizer to get them started.

10. Thesis Statements

Thesis statements, specifically, can get sticky. Graphic organizers can help students to narrow their topics (yes, technology is probably too broad!), write a thesis statement, draft topic sentences that support the thesis statement, and brainstorm support. In doing so, students have an idea of what research they need to find.

I don't let them actually start writing the essay until they've conferred with me about their graphic organizers. You'll find the ones I use in this thesis statement mini lesson.

And that's ten of my essential graphic organizers. I have used them regularly, and along with modeling and conferring with students, they are one of my favorite differentiation tools.

If you'd like to grab the two graphic organizers pictured below, join us in our ELA Today Facebook group! They will be waiting for you on the inside.

Further Reading:

You're probably reading this post because you love graphic organizers as much as I do; if so, you may also find Lauralee's post about task cards is right up your alley!

Author Note

Melissa Kruse is a former middle and high school English teacher and current instructional coach. You can find her on her blog, Reading and Writing Haven.

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10 Essential Graphic Organizers for Differentiation in ELA

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Looking for ways to help students transfer what they learn in direct instruction to collaborative and independent practice? Graphic organizers are one of my favorite teaching resources because of their versatility. Plus, they provide access points for all students to participate in critical thinking and discussion, regardless of their readiness levels.

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Graphic Organizer Use with Complex Needs

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Graphic Organizer Use with Complex Needs

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Introduction

Classroom teachers have used graphic organizers for years to help students gather, sift through, organize, and share information. Graphic organizers are appealing because they have a wide range use and adaptability for many different topics and subjects. General education teachers are familiar with common layouts for graphic organizers but may not be as familiar with how to adapt graphic organizers for students with varied learning needs. This TIPs sheet will expand on the traditional graphic organizer formats to show how they can be differentiated to meet the needs of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities through the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Evidence

Although graphic organizers are commonly used by both general education teachers and special education teachers, teachers must consider what aspects of the graphic organizer might present barriers given the diversity of student characteristics in an inclusive classroom. For example, a student with cerebral palsy and a significant cognitive disability who has an orthotic brace on her arm will need adaptations to participate when students are writing into a graphic organizer. It is not sufficient to simply pair the student with a general education peer and have her watch the peer write in the graphic organizer, but rather materials will need to be adapted so the student can actively and independently manipulate word cards or objects to place them into a graphic organizer. This could still be done with a peer but the two would be working with the adapted materials together.

In a recent evidence-based practice review by Saunders et al. (2020), graphic organizers were found to be a promising practice for use with students with significant cognitive disabilities for academic instruction in inclusive settings. In this review, graphic organizers were used to teach reading comprehension of text in subject areas such as science (Jimenez et al., 2012) and social studies (Wood et al., 2015). Although positive effects were observed in these two studies for the use of graphic organizers during instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities, additional research is needed to promote the use of graphic organizers to a research-based practice (i.e., more participants, research teams, and geographical regions). The implication for practitioners is that graphic organizers can help students with significant cognitive disabilities show higher level thinking skills that are aligned to the complexity of the grade level academic standards.

Teachers have many variables to consider when thinking about how to design accessible graphic organizers in an inclusive classroom. Students come with various levels of performance, preferred modes of learning, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and prior experience, which can all affect how each student learns (Meyer, Rose, & Gordon, 2014). Teachers must decide, based on learner characteristics, how to implement UDL principles when designing lesson plans involving graphic organizers, so all students have access to the content through multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. When applying the UDL framework, no student, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, should be defined by their perceived impairments and support needed to access to learning in the inclusive classroom (Hartmann, 2015). Teachers serving inclusive classrooms can think of the UDL framework as one way to address learner variability, in which a student with a significant cognitive disability is an expected part of the natural diversity and should be embraced using the teachers' skill set in universal design (Hartmann, 2015).

Definition and Examples

Graphic organizers are an instructional tool used to aid in comprehension or to organize key information. They can be used as an activity to help students retain information they've learned for a longer period of time. Students, including those with emergent literacy skills, limited English fluency, and diverse learning styles can often process information in a graphic organizer more easily than from traditional text. Graphic organizers can help students focus their thoughts for planning, decision making, and writing. They help students see connections, patterns, and relationships. They can also help students show understanding of the "big picture" from a lesson or book.

The table below describes common graphic organizers types, with the purpose and the essential feature of each. These essential features are non-negotiable. They must be present when using these graphic organizers. However, as adaptations are made to the graphic organizer, the purpose and essential feature must be kept intact. See the implementation section for how adaptations can be made to increase accessibility for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Table 1: The Purpose and Essential Features of Common Graphic Organizers

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect chain

Problem and solution map

Fishbone diagram

Analyze a series of events or processes, potentially for a complex topic

Classifying

Web (Bubble map)

Classification table (T-Chart)

Sort or classify items into different categories

Comparing and Contrasting

Venn diagram

Compare-contrast matrix

Identify similar (overlapping) and different characteristics of items

Describing

Identify examples and non-examples of vocabulary terms/connections between vocabulary terms

Sequencing

Flowchart

Series of events chain

Cycle

Timeline

Break down important steps or events in a process or sequence

Implementation

Graphic organizers often incorporate higher level thought processes and can easily be modified for all learners using principles of UDL. Planning is key for successful implementation of differentiated graphic organizers because teachers must think ahead for all of their students to make sure they can access the content in a universal way by considering representation, expression, and engagement.

For students who may require an adaptation to traditional graphic organizers, teachers should consider adaptations based on students' ability to perceive, engage, and respond with the graphic organizer and the content they are synthesizing with it. Providing multiple means of representation with a graphic organizer could involve customizing how it is displayed, including the use of objects or symbols. Providing multiple means of engagement involves promoting student interests, choices, and the relevance of the task. Lastly, providing multiple means of action/expression involves allowing variability in student response modes. This is especially important for students with complex communication needs. See Table 2 for suggestions for adaptations to graphic organizers for students in general, including students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Table 2. Suggested Graphic Organizer Adaptations Using Elements of Universal Design for Learning

Elements of Universal Design for Learning

Graphic Organizer Adaptations

Adaptations for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Representation

making the graphic organizer less detailed

offering a digital version of the graphic organizer

using tactile supports to build graphic organizer (wiki sticks, hula hoops)

laminated materials for repeated instruction/experiences

Action/Expression

providing a word bank

using pre-cut out words to sort

providing all the information that needs to go in the graphic organizer on the graphic organizer

allowing the use of technology to create

using color coded index cards for sorting items into categories

providing a word bank with visual supports

offer choices other than writing in graphic organizer (dictating to a scribe, choice making, sorting words/pictures/objects, use of AAC)

having the student use color coded stickers on preprinted cards to organize by category

using larger, laminated options with Velcro

Engagement

incorporating student interest

offering choice when appropriate

allowing open notes

providing page numbers to look back in their books

having a few answers filled in already

offering examples/nonexamples

incorporating technology

appropriate prompting and reinforcement to allow student to experience success

incorporating the use of peers to build a permanent product

incorporating technology

The following are examples and descriptions on how these adaptations might be applied for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities across a range of skills.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to use a t-chart to show examples and non-examples of the value "4". General education peers are asked to write examples of "4" and "not 4" using written or drawn examples. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in this classroom engage with this graphic organizer by sorting pre-cut paper with examples and non-examples of the value "4" on a T-chart.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to explore properties and attributes of three-dimensional shapes by categorizing them as round, flat, or both. The majority of the class uses printed pictures of three-dimensional shapes by cutting and pasting them into their math journals where they have to draw their own Venn diagram. For students with significant cognitive disabilities, sorting tangible objects may be the best way to categorize each of the shapes.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to do a literary analysis of Moby Dick using a concept map. Some of the students in the classroom in the general education population begin to do so on a blank sheet of paper following the concept map format the teacher gives with each major headings filled out. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities can utilize wiki sticks and preprinted cards to build a concept map.

Frayer Model. In this example the general education teacher asks students to review properties of lines and angles. The students in the classroom take the laminated cards the teacher made and copy them into their math notebooks. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are supported by having a more succinct definition and example graphic organizer, such as the triangle Frayer model below.

Here is an additional example video demonstration of differentiated fishbone graphic organizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUqfwv3izO4 . This video clip shows how one teacher uses the Fishbone for first grade students by modifying it for all the students in the classroom. The adaptations include requiring less text in boxes instead of lines and opportunities to draw examples. Although a student with a significant cognitive disability is not included in this video example, the teacher could extend the modification given to the whole class by having preprinted images for placement in the modified fishbone graphic organizer.

In each one of these examples, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities were considered in the design and implementation of the adaptations within each of the traditional graphic organizer formats. It is important to note that these adaptations can be used for a wide variety of students, not just those with significant cognitive disabilities. Teachers must seek to avoid "islands in the mainstream" (Biklen, 1992, p. 148), by carefully creating adaptations that maintain the essential features of the task (see Table 1). The goal of providing adaptations to graphic organizers in an inclusive classroom for students with significant cognitive disabilities is to help them engage with the content and participate alongside their peers, not separate from them.

Summary

Graphic organizers are a flexible tool that have applications across academic content areas and populations of students with and without disabilities. General education and special education teachers can work together to match the materials and formatting to fit individual student needs; however, when planned with UDL, all students can access content through the use graphic organizers.

TIPS Series: Tip #10, August 2020

The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. N., Wakeman, S., & Bowman, J. (2020). The Use of Graphic Organizers in Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIPS Series: Tip #10). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #10: The Use of Graphic Organizers in Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

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Classroom teachers have used graphic organizers for years to help students gather, sift through, organize, and share information. Graphic organizers are appealing because they have a wide range use and adaptability for many different topics and subjects.

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3 Ideas for Engaging All from Paula Kluth

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3 Ideas for Engaging All from Paula Kluth

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Inclusive classrooms: Paula Kluth introduces 3 activities for engaging all learners

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Our online teacher tools include a wide range of interactive manipulatives and assessment tools to teach and assess basic math concepts. Additional teacher tools help teach literacy and reading skills. Plus, check out our online timers, spinners, and dice that assist with classroom management.

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Teacher Tools " Toy Theater | Learn * Create * Play

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Our online teacher tools include a wide range of interactive manipulatives and assessment tools to teach and assess basic math concepts. Additional teacher tools help teach literacy and reading skills. Plus, check out our online timers, spinners, and dice that assist with classroom management.

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Free Phonics,Reading Worksheets,Reading Activities for Kids,Free Reading Games,Printable,Learning Worksheets,Free Computer Games for Kids,Learning Games for Kids Online,Math Websites for Kids,Cool Fun Games for Kids

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Science - Life Cycles - Differentiated Assessment

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RubiStar is a tool to help the teacher who wants to use rubrics, but does not have the time to develop them from scratch.

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Introduction

Collaborative learning is a high-leverage practice widely used in schools across grades and subjects. One method involves two students discussing a topic, coming to a consensus, and then sharing with the class. It goes by many names-Turn and Talk, Think Pair Share, Shoulder Partners, Numbered Heads Together, etc. In this TIPS, we show how to remove barriers to allow students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) to engage in Turn and Talk activities during instruction in general education classes through the UDL framework . We include examples from an inclusive classroom. The examples presented are reflective of a collaborative process required to plan the use of any strategy, such as Turn and Talk, in inclusive classrooms. To learn more about the process and how to implement it in an inclusive general education classroom, please see the TIES Center 5-15-45 tool.

Evidence

Collaborative learning can be found threaded through several High Leverage Practices (HLP; McLeskey et al., 2017). Cooperative learning promotes self-esteem, creates a safe learning environment, and increases participation opportunities for all students (Jenkins et al., 2003). Check out the HLP Crosswalk TIP sheet for a quick refresher on how HLPs overlap between general and special education.

Through collaborative planning, educators can make the Turn and Talk strategy accessible to all students. This collaboration will require thoughtful consideration to enable all students to participate and benefit, including students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Typically a Turn and Talk process involves three steps:

1. Each student considers the topic or prompt on their own.

2. Each student shares their thoughts with their partner and they come to a consensus.

3. The pair shares their findings with the class (Michaels & O'Connor, 2012).

Turn and Talk is one strategy used to promote academically productive talk in classroom settings. The four main goals of Turn and Talk are to:

1. help individual students share, expand, and clarify their own thoughts;

2. help students listen carefully to one another;

3. help students deepen their reasoning; and

4. help students engage with the reasoning of others (Michaels & O'Connor, 2012).

Research support for using Turn and Talk

Turn and Talks help students apply content to their lives, practice discrete skills, access background knowledge, and answer content related questions (Stewart & Swanson, 2019). Evidence from research shows Turn and Talks help increase students' number of opportunities to respond in content discussions (e.g., MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015) and the increase in on-task behavior can help students who struggle with inattention (e.g., Locke & Fuchs, 1995). Additionally, the use of Turn and Talk has been known to expand students' expressive communication skills (e.g., Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2013) and improve vocabulary knowledge (e.g., Swanson et al., 2017; Vaughn et al., 2017).

Implementation

Optimize your Turn and Talk by planning opportunities within a lesson prior to being in front of students. Turn and Talks are most effective if a backwards design is used where teachers ask themselves:

if the use of a Turn & Talk will help all students to meet goals of the lesson;

what students should experience and understand by the end of each Turn and Talk.

This backwards design allows teachers to specifically plan how to effectively involve students with significant cognitive disabilities. General education and special education teachers must examine each individual student's expressive and receptive communication skills and level of background knowledge for the topics chosen to determine the best format for engaging every student.

Inclusive Implementation

The UDL framework involves providing multiple means of engagement (the "why" of learning), representation (the "what" of learning), and action & expression (the "how" of learning).

One way to ensure all students have equal access from the use of a Turn & Talk is to use the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL; Meyer et al., 2014) . UDL is a framework to help teachers develop lessons and activities that include all students by addressing engagement, representation, and action and expression. These UDL principles help educators to make the most of varying student strengths and reduced barriers in implementing the Turn & Talk. When students have improved access to content and instructional practices, like the Turn & Talk, they are able to show what they know and become more independent and actively engaged.

Turn and Talk in Action

Below are examples showcasing different general education and special education co-teachers' collaboration to provide Turn and Talk opportunities for all students, including those with a significant cognitive disability. Using a UDL framework, barriers and potential solutions are provided showing where teachers can create access points for these students.

Student 1: Dustin

Dustin is a first grader with multiple disabilities who spends his entire school day in an inclusive classroom with the support of a special educator engaging in some co-teaching. Paraprofessional support is also available to the class, due to Dustin's additional need for support. The teacher is planning to read aloud the book " Ferdinand " and engage the class in discussion as they read using Turn and Talks. Dustin communicates with an Augmentative and Alternative communication device (AAC)-a tablet with different icons that speak aloud when he touches them. Dustin is always listening with a smile on his face, but he doesn't independently share his ideas with the class and tends to look to the paraprofessional when his name is called.

Dustin's general and special education teachers met quickly to discuss his participation in turn and talks in the general education classroom. Here's their conversation:

Conversation transcript

General education teacher: "Dustin is a joy to have in class, but I wonder how can we get him talking with peers and looking at the person asking the question instead of looking at his paraprofessional?"

Special education teacher: "I'd like to see him more independent from his paraprofessional too. I think it would help me help Dustin if we could develop Ferdinand or other story lesson plans ahead of time so that we can go in and pre-program the vocabulary in Dustin's tablet and then I can pre-teach some of the words and definitions to him."

General education teacher: "That's a great idea. I can help pre-teach the vocabulary as well to get Dustin communicating with both of us. This will help several other students in the class too."

See the table below for the process and outcomes Dustin's team used to come up with a plan for his participation in the classroom Turn and Talk.

What are possible barriers?

What are possible solutions?

The special educator will program Dustin's AAC device with a list of words from the general education teacher.

In Dustin's classroom, providing flexible ways to communicate allows all students to share so all forms of communication are valued - whether through text, AAC (such as alternative keyboards), written, visual, or other.

Provide Dustin with a sentence stem or an example of the kind of answer the teachers want.

Provide Dustin with reminders/checklists about how to have productive turn and talk conversations (i.e., group norms for turn and talk) that can be checked off as interactions happen.

Student 2: Sasha

Sasha is a student with autism who has recently been included at her middle school. She had previous experience participating in a general education science class, but due to concerns around her challenging behavior, the team had to pull back and create a new plan to meet her current needs. Sasha is now in a 6th grade earth science class learning about the structure of the earth's layers (i.e., mantle and core). Sasha is good at task completion if she is given hands-on materials at the beginning of lessons. Sasha communicates primarily with speech with visual supports for new concepts. She has a history of humming loudly when not physically engaged with materials. She also tends to swipe materials away from her when someone asks her to do something with them. However, when the purpose of the activity and a model of using the materials is provided, she willingly participates.

Sasha's general and special education teachers met quickly to discuss her participation in Turn and Talks in the general education classroom. Here's their conversation:

Conversation transcript

General education teacher: "I'm nervous about Sasha's swiping the science materials off the table. We need to think carefully about who will be her lab partner."

Special education teacher: "I agree, it's important that we figure out how to teach science lab expectations and find out what keeps Sasha engaged so that she is less inclined to swipe materials. One thing we need to plan for is minimizing the time Sasha is just passively sitting and try to keep the momentum going during the Turn & Talk interactions."

General education teacher: "Hmm..I think a checklist for the lesson will be helpful to Sasha so she understands what we are doing and who she's working with. How about I draft one out and share it with you?"

Special education teacher: "That would be great. I'll also ask Sasha and her parents what we can use to reinforce her engagement and appropriate behavior."

See the table below for the process and outcomes Sasha's team used to come up with a plan for her participation in a Turn and Talk within the science classroom.

What are possible barriers?

What are possible solutions?

The special education teacher customizes the display of information for students. Specifically, Sasha will have individualized prompt cards for following group norms (i.e., turn body in direction of the person talking, yes/no cards telling when it is okay to hum or when it is a quiet time, etc.).

Sasha will be provided with models for the science content vocabulary (i.e. given a model of the Earth showing the layers).

Student 3: Rico

Rico is a student with Down Syndrome in 4th grade who recently started participating in the education classroom for more than just recess and lunch. He knows many of the students in the class well because of their previous interactions. He has not spent academic learning time with his general education peers other than in physical education, art, and music class. Rico's peers like him and are always giving him high-fives and fist bumps. When in the general education classroom, Rico does not answer questions in the whole group and will often just repeat the question. Rico's speech is also hard to understand, but he does not use any assistive technology to support his communication.

Rico's general and special education teachers met quickly to discuss his participation in Turn and Talks in the general education classroom. Here's their conversation:

Conversation transcript

Special education teacher: "You know, Rico is very capable socially and I know he can do the work academically. I don't want to see him get away with not responding to the Turn & Talk prompts. What do you think?"

General education teacher: "I love having Rico in the classroom, but I am unsure how to get him to participate. I really would like to see him respond without someone telling him what to say."

Special education teacher: ​"I think we need to work with his peers so that they also hold high-expectations for him. Let's think through how we can help both Rico and his peers during the Turn and Talk."

See the table below for the process and outcomes Rico's team used to come up with a plan for his participation in the classroom Turn and Talk.

What are possible barriers?

What are possible solutions?

The special education and general education teachers will train multiple peers on how to provide social and communication supports (i.e., showing response materials and prompting) during the Turn and Talk.

The general education teacher will pair Rico with a trained peer who will provide wait time and not answer for Rico. The peer will encourage Rico after he makes a response that is not repeating the question.

The special education teacher will make sentence starter strips and response cards for the peer to use with Rico during Turn & Talk.

The teachers and peers model how to use virtual or concrete manipulatives for mathematics (and not as toys).

The teacher designs multiple tools for all students to aid in their construction and composition of responses.

The general education teacher and special education teacher plan Turn and Talk prompts before class to create pre-made sentence strips with appropriate response choices.

Below is an example of a self-monitoring checklist to use as a peer communication support (Figure 1). This may not be necessary for all students. From the examples above, Dustin may not need a checklist like this; however, it could help Sasha monitor her own progress in back and forth interactions with a peer. It could also help Rico's partner provide appropriate support, as needed, during the Turn and Talk interaction.

Figure 1. Turn and Talk Self-monitoring Checklist/Peer Communication Support

Illustrated guide of task analysis for turn and talk from Project IMPACT. The image includes 6 rows showing the steps for turn and talk with symbols that can be checked off as a student progress through the steps:

1. listen to question;

2. answer a question;

3. read paragraph, read sentence, touch answer;

4. ask question;

5. listen to answer, [repeat steps 1-5 or]

6. agree/disagree.

Summary

For students with significant cognitive disabilities, contributions in collaborative learning like Turn and Talks require thoughtful planning by general education and special education teachers and staff. When teams work together to create access points for these students, authentic participation is possible.

Further

TIPS Series: Tip #15, November 2020

The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. N., Wakeman, S., & Clausen, A. (2020). Turn and Talk (TIPS Series: Tip #15). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #15: Turn and Talk in the Inclusive Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Collaborative learning is a high-leverage practice widely used in schools across grades and subjects. One method involves two students discussing a topic, coming to a consensus, and then sharing with the class. It goes by many names-Turn and Talk, Think Pair Share, Shoulder Partners, Numbered Heads Together, etc.

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Introduction

Standards-based grading and report cards align with a standards-based curriculum to provide an accurate appraisal of student progress or performance. They achieve the primary purposes of grading and reporting grades, which include that grades are accurate, meaningful, consistent, and support the learning process (O'Connor, 2009). Standards-based grading is a recommended grading practice for students with disabilities in inclusive classes (Jung, 2012; Jung & Guskey, 2015). This TIPS sheet provides guidance on how to provide fair and accurate grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive settings. It also addresses ways to report standards-based grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Evidence

Research is lacking on grading practices for students with disabilities, specifically for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive settings. However, standards-based grading and reporting practices are recommended for all students with disabilities because of the direct connection to the curriculum standards. This connection between the content standards and the grading and reporting process improves accuracy, consistency, and meaningfulness (Jung, 2012; Jung & Guskey, 2015). Standards-based grading practices are recommended for use at all grade levels provided that they are aligned with grade-level content standards and performance expectations (Guskey & Bailey, 2001; O'Connor, 2009; Wormeli, 2006). Content standards are related to curriculum and achievement standards refer to statewide assessment performance. These are not the same. Content standards should have foundational alignment to the grade-level standard.

Implementation

Standards-based grading involves assigning grades based on mastery of specific learning standards (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006). It communicates specific meaningful performance information against established standards and can be used for "diagnostic and prescriptive purposes" (Guskey & Bailey, 2001). One of the major benefits of using standards-based grading is that teachers can identify strengths and areas of need for each skill within a content area. Effective reporting of student performance focuses on the description of how the student performs on an explicit set of skills such as how the student sets up an addition word problem (Jung & Guskey; 2010). Example 1 illustrates a standards-based grading report card for reading in second grade.

A rubric is used to describe student performance. The number of levels in a rubric can be used across content areas, although the description of what each number means may differ. The rubric used in Example 1 has three levels of performance; the same three levels can be used across multiple content areas.

Sample Standards-based Grading Rubric

3 = Meets grade-level standard and can apply key concepts independently. Demonstrates processes and skills.

2 = Approaching the grade-level standard, requires some support to demonstrate key concepts, processes, and skills.

1 = Progressing toward the grade-level standard with on-going intensive support or modifications.

For example: A student scoring a "3" for the requirement of "Using basic skills to read fluently" consistently demonstrates grade-level expectations and independently applies key concepts and skills." A score of "1" indicates the student is progressing toward the standard but still requires intensive supports.

When a grading rubric includes a "below standard level" that indicates "no progress even with support," best practice suggests that there should have been communication about performance and appropriate supports provided well before the report card is delivered.

Report cards may also contain an evaluation of work behaviors such as responsibility, work habits, attendance, and homework. These should be rated separately so that teams and families can determine where additional supports are needed - for academic content or for work behaviors such as organization, work habits, or motivation. Example 2 shows a report card on work behaviors using a 3-level rubric.

A three-level rubric is used to describe student performance on each work behavior. The rubric used in Example 2 has three levels of performance.

Sample Rubric for Work Behaviors

3 = Demonstrates consistency and independence.

2 = Requires occasional support and reminders.

1 = Often requires support and reminders.

Grading Prerequisite and Foundational Skills

When a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities is working on prerequisite or foundational skills related to a grade-level standard, grading and reporting should be adapted to include the specific prerequisite or foundational skills. The prerequisite or foundational skills should represent those approved under the state's alternate assessment program and, as much as, be possible directly related to the specific grade-level content standards. In addition to the specification of the standard, the grading rubric may be adapted to more clearly communicate specific learning outcomes. Grades of a student's progress on prerequisite and foundational skills may also be provided in a separate progress-monitoring report. An example of a possible rubric for these skills is:

Sample Rubric for Prerequisite and Foundational Skills

3 = Student meets prerequisites [foundational] skills related to the grade-level standard and can apply key concepts independently. Student demonstrates processes and skills.

2 = Student is approaching the prerequisites [foundational] skills of the grade-level standard. Student requires some support to demonstrate key concepts, processes, and skills.

1 = Student is progressing toward the prerequisites [foundational] skills related to the grade-level standard, with on-going and intensive support or modifications.

Reporting progress on IEP goals that may be unrelated to the content standard should occur in regular progress reports that may be separate from report card grading. Example 3 is a completed Standards-based Report Card for a student working toward grade-level standards who does not have an IEP that also includes work behavior grading. Example 4 is for a student who has an IEP and is working on Foundational Standards aligned as closely as possible to grade-level standards.

Standards-based Grading for Middle School

The primary principles of standards-based grading and reporting are similar at middle school in that the grade is directly related to the content standards. Reported letter grades (e.g., A, B, C, D, F) are based on weighted classroom assignments and summative classroom tests. Classroom assignments generally are rated using a rubric with a 1 - 5 scale, while classroom tests typically are reported in terms of the percent of correct responses. Of course, retakes of assignments, along with learning labs and peer-based tutoring assistance, are generally available and can contribute to revised scores. The combination of the information from the two sources (classroom assignments and classroom tests) results in a percentage-based score. Grades can be based on where the percentage falls within a range of percentages assigned to a grade. The same reporting process should be followed for students with significant disabilities and ensure the reference to the content standard is clear, with the percentage based on the performance expectations for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Summary

Grades for all students should be meaningful and informative for teachers, students, and parents. They should accomplish the purposes for which grading is intended, ensuring that the report is accurate, meaningful, consistent, and supportive of future learning (O'Connor, 2009). Standards-based grading is an effective grading practice for all students, including those with the most significant cognitive disabilities, because of the clear linkage to the standard.

TIPS Series: Tip #12, August 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Kearns, J. F., Taub, D., & Thurlow, M. (2020). Standards-based grading and report cards in inclusive elementary and middle schools​ (TIPS Series: Tip #12). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #12: Standards-based Grading and Report Cards in Inclusive Elementary and Middle Schools

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This TIPS sheet provides guidance on how to provide fair and accurate grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive settings. It also addresses ways to report standards-based grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities

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Introduction

Grading is the most widely used way to evaluate students' academic progress. Teachers in inclusive classrooms must carefully consider the grading process to provide fair and equitable grades for the range of students in their classrooms. The basis for grading is often dictated by school or district policies and can vary by school level (i.e., elementary, middle, high school). Grading can be based on rubrics, a point system, a completion checklist, or a combination of these. Teachers often calculate grades by determining the earned points out of the total possible points or by assigning weights to assignments based on the length or complexity of the assignment (Brooksher, 2017). The purpose of this TIPS is to share grading considerations and potential adaptations for grading to provide fair and accurate grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Links to additional TIPS in the grading series are provided at the end.

Grades are recorded and reported in a variety of formats. Electronic formats, learning management systems, or school information systems may be used for reporting grades. Understanding how to navigate the grading process for students with significant cognitive disabilities can be complex. A foundation of a strong grading system is to identify the purpose of the grade in a fair and equitable grading system (i.e., what is the intended meaning of the grade). Establishing what a grade "means" for a student leads to increased student, parent, and teacher satisfaction in an inclusive classroom (Munk & Bursuck, 2004). Grading requires a collaborative process to determine both what is being graded and how it is being graded.

Evidence

Research has been conducted on grading practices for the majority of students in classrooms (McMillan, 2001; McMillan et al., 2002), but research is lacking on grading practices for students with disabilities, especially for students with significant cognitive disabilities (Jung, 2009; Jung & Guskey, 2010) in inclusive settings. In a survey of teachers working in K-12 inclusive classrooms (Kurth et al., 2012) results showed (a) general and special education teachers use different practices and have different preferences for grading students with low-incidence disabilities; (b) general and special educators reported differences in their level of comfort and training for grading, with special educators feeling more prepared to grade these students; (c) elementary teachers were more likely to accept modified work than secondary teachers; and (d) secondary teachers reported using modifications to instruction less frequently than elementary school teachers.

Two Types of Grading

Common Grading System

A common grading system involves teachers assigning letter grades to students based on percentage of points earned toward accuracy on an assignment. Grades are typically reported as A, B, C, D, or F. In this grading system, a student cannot pass a course with a grade of F, or failing. Work habits such as participation, effort, and attendance may factor into the points system and account for a portion of the total letter grade.

Standards-Based Grading

Standards-based grading involves teachers grading students based on specific academic learning standards and assigning a grade based on student mastery on the standards (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006). Grades often are reported as 4 (advanced), 3 (proficient), 2 (basic), and (1) below basic. A rubric is used to describe the performance at each level. Behaviors such as responsibility, work habits, and attentiveness are rated separately. Standards-based grading is recommended for use at all grade levels and with students with disabilities (O'Connor, 2009).

Implementation

Implementing a fair and equitable grading system for students with significant cognitive disabilities in an inclusive classroom should be based on both quality considerations and the focus of the learning criteria.

Four Quality Considerations for Grading

The William & Mary Training & Technical Assistance Center (2015) outlined four quality considerations for grading within the inclusive classroom. These included (a) grades are accurate, (b) grades are meaningful, (c) grades are consistent, and (d) grades are supportive of learning. The authors suggest that these conditions must be in place for all students in inclusive classrooms. For more information about the four quality grading considerations see: Inclusive Grading and Progress-Monitoring Practices

Three Types of Learning Criteria

Effective grading focuses on establishing clear standards for how learning is measured across three main categories. High-quality grading and reporting for all students consider how graded items fit into three types of learning criteria: product, process, and progress (Jung & Guskey, 2010). Teachers should report grades in each learning criteria category separately to eliminate the possibility of having one grade reflect a combination of the types of evidence (Jung & Guskey, 2010). Having information aggregated by each category can help inform intervention decisions (Jung & Guskey, 2007).

Table 1. Product, Process, or Progress

Adaptations for Grading

The practice of making grading adaptations is not a new practice, but within an inclusive classroom, teachers must ask, "what does the grade mean?" Teachers must use a systematic approach when making decisions on how to adapt grading for students. Research suggests that grading adaptations may be a solution for students with disabilities who have a history of low or inaccurate grades, and could result in improvement in mastering general education standards (Silva et al., 2005). Grading adaptations require teachers to use informed judgment in a systematic way to address students' individual strengths and needs. Silva et al. (2005) identify five types of grading adaptations that involve basing all or part of a student's grade on the following criteria: (a) progress on IEP objectives, (b) improvement over past performances, (c) performance on prioritized content and assignments, (d) use of process and effort to complete work, and (e) modified weights and scales.

Table 2 lists possible adaptations to grading and cautions for their use provided by Silva et al. (2005). To these, added here are suggestions for how to implement the adaptations in academics for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Table 2. Adaptations to Grading with Academic Examples

Focusing heavily on process can lead to low-quality products

A portion of a student's grade can come from using editing strategies, such as revising sentences to add a capital letter at the beginning and punctuation at the end each sentence.

Focusing heavily on process can lead to low-quality products

A portion of a student's grade on a classwork assignment can come from effort on homework by measuring on the number of attempted problems on a homework assignment.

Adaptations to grading are possible regardless of which learning criteria are used as measurement: product, process, or progress. For example, if a student with a significant cognitive disability has an IEP goal of, "Given new vocabulary terms, the student will use those terms in context correctly 8 out of 10 words over three consecutive units", IEP objectives can be measured within a product (i.e., completed portfolio for a science unit on life cycles), in a process over time (i.e., homework and quizzes on life cycles), or progress (i.e., a comparison of pre-test and post-test scores on life cycle standards).

Process for Adapting Grading

Table 3 is an adapted version of Munk and Bursuck's (2004) outline for implementing grading adaptations for students with disabilities. The original steps have been adapted to be used with a students' collaborative team to plan for effective grading for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive settings. The process starts with a meeting between the general education teacher and special education teacher, prior to meeting with parents. Next, the team will implement the plan and review its effectiveness. Table 3 includes an example of the team using some of the adaptations from Table 2.

Table 3. Grading Adaptation Implementation Process

Description

Example for a Student with a Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary Science Class

General education teacher and special education teacher meet to clarify purpose of classroom grades (i.e., what does the grade mean?)

Is it reflection of accuracy of content? Work effort? Progress toward standard? All of those things? Is the purpose different for students with disabilities?

The teachers discuss that the purpose of grading in the inclusive science class is to reflect both accuracy of content, work effort, and progress toward standards.

Select an adaptation that meets the mutual agreement for the grading purpose and addresses the grading problem previously identified

Summary

Grades for all students should be meaningful and informative for teachers, students, and parents. Research evidence supports the use of standards-based grading for students with disabilities (Jung & Guskey, 2007; Muñoz & Guskey, 2015; O'Connor, 2009). When teachers are grading students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms, a multifaceted approach is needed. Teachers must first determine what the purpose of grading is and then decide what adaptations may be needed for making the grade meaningful for the student. R

TIPS Series: Tip #11, August 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. N., Wakeman, S., & Thurlow, M. (2020). Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms (TIPS Series: Tip #11). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #11: Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

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The purpose of this TIPS is to share grading considerations and potential adaptations for grading to provide fair and accurate grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms.

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Scrolls down for group learning routine ideas and examples

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Learning routines guide student thinking, collaboration, self-regulation, care for oneself and peers, and engagement with curriculum materials. They are an essential tool for effective deeper learning and are a critical component in building equitable classroom community culture. Every learning routine calls for a unique recipe of choice, help resources, and structure. By weaving together a unique set of elements, each routine is able to serve a particular set of goals and needs. We organize learning routines broadly into two goals: well-being and curriculum.

We dive deeper into each kind of routine and provide examples of each in the sections below. Click on any routine to learn more about it and access resources to help you implement it in your classroom.

Care Routines

Self-care routines invite students to take time to care for themselves. These routines help students release stress and prepare for learning.

Organization Routines

These routines help teachers and students gather and organize student responses and move into small groups for peer discussions.

Individual Regulation Routines

Individual Regulation routines prompt students to reflect on the strengths that they are brining to each task and set concrete next steps or goals for their learning.

Group Learning Routines - Discussion

In pairs or small groups, students use these group learning routines to promote learning through discussion. The routines promote the use of academic language and accurate information and equitable engagement in discussions with peers. Students use group learning routines to elaborate on their ideas, challenge thinking and misconceptions, promote the use of academic language needed for literacy tasks, perceive peer strengths, and understand themselves in relation to their peers. Group Learning Routines can be used at any point in a lesson and require no preparation other than teaching the routine and organizing the groups.

Group Learning Routines - Reading Comprehension

Group Routines for Reading Comprehension are discussion routines that revolve around understanding a text (i.e. may include images, works of art, poems, and readings).

Group Learning Routines - Topic Understanding

Building topic understanding routines promote student interaction with specific curriculum content. Teachers prepare digital media including primary or historical sources, graphs, data tables, vocabulary, collections of mistakes in student work, art, poems, or news articles. Sources and collections of sources are used to introduce or investigate a topic. The routine structures prompt student self-regulated learning to promote deeper more durable learning. The routine requires the use of a source or collection of sources, either printed or digital. Each routine has both individual and group discussion components and therefore takes longer to implement during lessons. Crop It is available for use digitally and to print on paper. These routines were first developed through the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Northern Virginia Partnership.

Directed Learning Routines

These routines are designed to provide information using strategies that increase student comprehension and memory of the information. Provide information routines often include individual regulation and group learning to ensure learners acquire the needed information and are equipped to use the information in future learning tasks.

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Learning routines guide student thinking, collaboration, self-regulation, care for oneself and peers, and engagement with curriculum materials. They are an essential tool for effective deeper learning and are a critical component in building equitable classroom community culture. Every learning routine calls for a unique recipe of choice, help resources, and structure.

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Science - Life Cycles - Differentiated Assessment

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Introduction

Grading is an important component of an inclusive classroom. Parents or guardians and students need to understand the meaning of grades assigned to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Communication about the meaning of grades needs to be provided to everyone for inclusive classrooms - all parents, guardians, and students. When talking about grades, general education teachers and special education teachers need to have already agreed on the approach so that consistent information is provided. Both grading of assignments and report card grades should be discussed. Please refer to the other two TIPS in this series on grading:
Tip #11: Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms Tip #12: Standards-based Grading and Report Cards in Inclusive Elementary and Middle Schools
The purpose of this TIPS is to provide suggestions to teachers about how to effectively communicate about how grades are assigned to student work and report cards and what they mean.

Evidence

Clarity about what the grading system means and how it can be interpreted is needed for parents and students. For example, if a child earns an "A" in math, does it refer to criteria based on the product (e.g., the sum of scores on assignments), process (e.g., how a student did assignments), or student progress (e.g., change in performance)? Merging these criteria into a single grade can cause confusion for parents or guardians and students because it is difficult to determine which criterion carried more weight in the total grade (Jung & Guskey, 2007). For more information see the adaptations to grading section in TIPS 11: Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms. Agreement between general educators and special educators on the approach to be used for students with significant cognitive disabilities is essential in inclusive classrooms (William & Mary Training & Technical Assistance Center, 2015).

Evidence points to numerous myths about grading and what is actually the case (see Table 1).

Table 1. Myths and Facts about Grading Students with Disabilities, including Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities ​

Myth: Students with disabilities cannot legally receive a failing grade.

Fact: Student IEP status can appear on report cards but not on transcripts (Freedman, 2000).

Myth: Transcripts cannot identify the curriculum as being modified.

Fact: Schools can legally note curriculum modifications on transcripts, but cannot identify whether a student received accommodations (Freedman, 2000, 2005).

Myth: Using plus and minus letter grades better captures a student's performance.

Fact: Studies have indicated that using +/- grades (e.g., A-, C+) does not result in greater accuracy or reliability when describing performance (Guskey, 2015).

Myth: Low and modified grades limit post-secondary options.

Fact: Post-secondary options are dependent upon high school diploma and college admissions policies in each state.

Implementation

When thinking about how to talk to parents or guardians and students about grading and report cards, the first step is to be clear about the purpose of grades and how they are adapted ( see Tip #11: Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms​), as well as what they are addressing ( see Tip #12: Standards-based Grading and Report Cards in Inclusive Elementary and Middle Schools ​). You should know the answers to questions like:

1. "What information do we want to communicate?

2. Who is the primary audience for that information?

3. How would we like that information to be used?" (Guskey & Jung, 2006, p. 6)

The answers to these questions should make clear how grades and report cards are modified for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms (Jung & Guskey, 2007).

It is critical that the IEP team, including parents or guardians and students, has an open and ongoing dialogue about grades and their meaning for students with significant cognitive disabilities. If different performance standards are used, then those criteria must be agreed to and shared with parents or guardians and students regularly. Having these conversations helps to clarify the basis for determining whether students are making sufficient progress and, if not, what adjustments to supports and services may be needed (Jung & Guskey, 2011; William & Mary Training & Technical Assistance Center, 2015).

It is not enough to have conversations about grading only in the IEP team meeting. Teachers should talk individually to parents and guardians of students with significant cognitive disabilities, parents, and guardians of classmates of students with significant cognitive disabilities, the student with significant cognitive disabilities, and classmates of students with significant cognitive disabilities. There may also be a need to talk to school administrators. Table 2 provides ideas for what, how, and when to talk about grading and report cards with these individuals. Regardless of who the conversation is with, it should be clear, objective, and jargon-free. Different grading rubrics may require multiple conversations. Remember to ensure the confidentiality of the student with significant cognitive disabilities (and other students) during these conversations.

Summary

For a smooth inclusive classroom experience for everyone, there needs to be clear communication about grades and report cards. As these conversations occur, the confidentiality of students, particularly those with significant cognitive disabilities, needs to be maintained. If there are implications of modified grades and report cards (e.g., award ceremonies), these should be discussed as well.

TIPS Series: Tip #13, August 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. N., Wakeman, S., & Thurlow, M. (2020). Talking About Grading with Parents or Guardians and Students for Inclusive Classrooms (TIPS Series: Tip #13). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

​​The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #13: Talking About Grading with Parents or Guardians and Students for Inclusive Classrooms

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Grading is an important component of an inclusive classroom. Parents or guardians and students need to understand the meaning of grades assigned to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Communication about the meaning of grades needs to be provided to everyone for inclusive classrooms - all parents, guardians, and students.

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***Update: Links have been fixed for the Template***

I used menu's all the time when I was a classroom educator. I used them for student I didn't want the cookie cutter presentation from every single student. I wanted them to have a differentiation, student voice, and choice, and to be creative! choice, and to allow my students to be creative with multiple non-tech mediums.

So, when I wanted my students to do a book report, they had around ten various ways to create a book report. Examples included:

Create a new book jacket for the book

Create your presentation on a cereal box, recreating the book cover as your cereal box cover.

Build a diorama from a pivotal scene in the book, and explain why this scene is so important to both the plot and the characters.

Shoe box full of clues from the story. Usually describing a character, plot point, or climax of events.

Now, of course, "back in the day" (9 years ago when I first started teaching), I didn't have any technology in my classroom. So, the first couple menu's I made for student creation didn't involve any technology.

What I realized then, is what I still know today:

Students not only need, but they also want the ability to have both a voice and the freedom of choice when it comes to creating and presenting their content.

As an educator, it would be horrible if our administration told us we could only get feedback from students using one type of tool for the whole entire year.

Just like we ask our educators to be differential with their instruction, we should be asking our students to be differential with their creation and presentation!

To help with this... I created a Digital Menu Template for Student Creation! Feel free to use this template with any grade level, subject, project, unit, or content you teach.

Make a copy of the Google Slides Template "Digital Menu for Student Creation".

The template includes directions on how to use it.

Have your students go to slide 3 for the menu.

Every "item" is linked to another slide in the preso. I also included a back button for easy navigation.

Upper right-hand corner is the link to the rubric. This is the assigned rubric for this specific project. This is the only link you will need to switch out prior to having your students complete the menu.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions... please let us know! Feel free to comment on this blog post, or email the bisdwired team at bisdwired@brenhamk-12.net

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Teaching Tip Thursday: Digital Menu for Student Creation

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Update: Links have been fixed for the Template*** I used menu's all the time when I was a classroom educator. I used them for student I didn't want the cookie cutter presentation from every single student. I wanted them to have a differentiation, student voice, and choice, and to be creative!

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Differentiate with Learning Menus and Choice Boards

"...at its core, differentiated instruction means addressing ways in which students vary as learners." - Carol Ann Tomlinson

[Tweet "Interactive Learning Menus with @GoogleforEdu #edtech#gsuiteedu"]

What Are Learning Menus?

IT'S ALL ABOUT CHOICE! Learning menus (aka choice boards) are a form of differentiated learning that gives students a menu or choice of learning activities. Learning menus and choice boards can be created in a variety of styles and mediums. They've been around for a long time and originated in a static, paper format. But with digital tools, we can bring the menus to life with interactivity and creation. Menus can be a simple list, a tic-tac-toe or bingo-style game, or get as creative and intricate as you like. Check out my Pinterest board for ideas.

Learning Menus Can Be Used with Any Age Group

I have found that menus and choice boards tend to be more popular among elementary teachers, but I used them in my middle school classroom, and now I use them in professional learning workshops with adults. Any grade level can use learning menus!

Learning Menus Can Be Used in Any Subject Area

Since learning menus are so flexible, they can easily be created and adapted for just about any subject area. So no excuses! Any teacher who is willing to try can make use of this student-centered strategy.

[Tweet "Any teacher who is willing to try can make use of this student-centered strategy. #edtech"]

Are Learning Menus Hyperdocs the Same Thing?

No, but they could be part of a Hyperdoc assignment. I love Hyperdocs! But these two are not one in the same. Keep in mind the definition of learning menus stated above. It is simply a menu of choices from which students can choose. Student choice is the big idea behind learning menus and choice boards.

A Hyperdoc is a complete packaged assignment that also meets some additional criteria. A Hyperdoc doesn't have to include choice, but it could. To learn more about Hyperdocs, visit their site or read the AMAZING book by Lisa Highfill, Sarah Landis, and Kelly Hilton.

Creating a Tic-Tac-Toe Learning Menu in Google Docs

One easy way to dip your toes into the learning menu water is a Tic-Tac-Toe menu. A Tic-Tac-Toe can be used for anything from short activities to more long-term projects, both assessment FOR learning (formative) and assessment OF learning (summative).

Below is an example of a Novel Unit Tic-Tac-Toe menu that I created as a summative project. It was created in Google Docs, nothing fancy, just a table and some color. Depending on how you want to use, you can add links, rubrics, images, video and more. (Click here to use my blank tic-tac-toe template.)
CLICK HERE to use the Novel Study Tic-Tac-Toe template. On mobile? CLICK HERE to make a copy.
Learning Menu Design

Remember when you are creating a learning menu to align it with your learning goals! First, I use the middle square as my non-negotiable, the one activity that I want every student to complete. This could be reading an article, watching a video, or in this case; every student will write a summary and add it to a collaborative Google Slide deck where they will also add links to their other projects. Everything in one place!

Some teachers also make the middle square a free space where students can propose their own ideas to demonstrate their learning. LOVE THIS IDEA!

I had some students who would try to find the easiest or fastest way to complete the tasks. But if you pay attention to the learning design, you can design it so that it gives choice and flexible learning paths, not just an easy completion grade.

I use the color to guide the learning design. Because I use the middle square as a non-negotiable, I control how they make the tic-tac-toe just a little bit more. Every student will do the middle square and one from the blue and one from the yellow. In this summative example, students are mostly creating, but in the example below, you will see how it can also work for activities that guide the learning.

Below is a professional learning example that I designed for teaching Google Chrome. As a trainer, I typically have very mixed groups in my training sessions (multiple grade levels, subject areas, and tech savviness). I usually address general skills, and apps and extensions that are applicable across all grade levels and subject areas as a whole group.

Then I move into an activity like the Chrome PD Tic-Tac-Toe learning menu to allow teachers to dig deeper into their own subject areas and grade levels AND move at a pace that is comfortable for their level and learning style.
CLICK HERE to use my Chrome PD Tic-Tac-Toe template. On mobile? CLICK HERE to make a copy of the template.
Other Types of Learning Menus

As I said, a tic-tac-toe is just one type of menu. It happens to be a favorite of mine because they are easy to design and are not too overwhelming. But I have used many other types of menus, and I have been curating ideas on this Learning Menu Pinterest Board.

Digital Menu for Student Creation with Google Slides by Tommy Spall

Below is a Google Slide example of a learning menu that takes on the look of a restaurant menu from my friend, Tommy Spall. Follow him @TommySpall. (You can thank me later!) Click here to make a copy of Tommy's template that includes linked slides to lots of Googley projects and room for you to make it your own. (If you are on mobile and having trouble with the template link, try this make a copy link.)

Professional Development BINGO Board by Amber Teamann and Melinda Miller

Another option is to make it a full out BINGO board, like in this example from my friend Amber Teamann and her collaborator Melinda Miller. (Follow them at @8Amber8 and @MMiller7571, and yes, you will thank me for this one, too!)

Amber and Melinda are both elementary school principals. They issued this BINGO PD Challenge to her teachers over the summer, and I thought it might inspire you with some other options for choice and challenges in your classroom or professional learning. You can learn more details about PD Bingo in Amber's blog post.

Using G Suite to Create Learning Menus

The possibilities are truly endless! Consider all the ways you could use G Suite to create learning menus and the extended activities and links. Try thinking of the ways you could create menus using these G Suite tools:

Google Docs

Google Slides

Google Drawings

Google Sheets

Google My Maps

Google Sites

How to Use Google Templates and Assign in Google Classroom

If you enjoyed this post, you will love the more in-depth look at the power of choice boards and more examples in this post and podcast episode.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Interactive Learning Menus (Choice Boards) Using Google Docs

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I love learning menus, and it is one of my favorite ways to incorporate student choice and to differentiate learning. And with digital tools like G Suite for Education, it's super easy to make menus interactive, digital, and more dynamic! Digital Differentiation offers teachers and students many ways to reach all learners.

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Learners will learn about an instructional tool used to provide more differentiation in a classroom, choice boards.

Mrs. Smith now realizes she needs to differentiate her instruction allowing opportunities to reach all students. She just doesn't know what she can do. What instructional tool can she use? Won't it be a lot of work for her to change everything?

Choice Boards

In the previous Unit you learned about Differentiation and why it is important to provide these opportunities to our learners. We also learned how there are three areas we can Differentiate Instruction. We are now going to take a closer look at the component of Differentiation; product. We learned one way to Differentiate the product of learning is by providing students with a choice. This Unit focuses one type of instructional tool that allows for students to make choices; Choice Boards.

Choice boards provide students with choices on what they want to work on based upon the discipline. A teacher can create choice boards depending on academic level to the students. This allows for all students to reach the same goal with activities that meet their needs.

Watch this video for more background information about Differentiation as well as Math Choice boards :

Browse this Power Point presentation that focuses on Differentiation and Choice Boards:

Pay special attention to slides 14 and 15 which focuses on what Choice Board are.

https://www.trumbullesc.org/Downloads/Differentiation%20Choice%20Boards%20Southington2.pdf

Read this article that discusses how to use Choice Boards in the classroom:

https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/how-to-use-choice-boards-in-the-classroom/

Choice Board Template

Here are some Choice Board Templates that are organized in a Tic-Tac-Toe style. These are the ones I use in my classroom (depending on the learners in your classroom)

File:Choice Board Template- Hard.pptx

File:Choice Board Template-Easy.pptx

Assessment of Choice Boards

Choice Boards also provide teachers a sense of assessment on how well they understand the material. Students are able to complete different activities to their learning style and teachers can assess if they completed the assignment or not. Teachers are able to create different rubrics based upon their main objective of the choice boards.

Unit Wrap up

Complete: the questions based upon the information you have read in this Unit.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BQ6BSTD

Discuss: what Mrs. Smith should do? What is your rationale on your choice?

Creating Talk:Unit 3: Choice Boards

Go to: Unit 4: Creating a Choice Board within their Discipline

Back to: Differentiation in the form of Choice Boards within any discipline

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Unit 3: Choice Boards; How does that differentiate instruction?

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Learners will learn about an instructional tool used to provide more differentiation in a classroom, choice boards. Mrs. Smith now realizes she needs to differentiate her instruction allowing opportunities to reach all students. She just doesn't know what she can do. What instructional tool can she use?

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One of the most common challenges that teachers face is planning engaging, hands-on lessons that are accessible to all students. Teachers know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. That's why I'm a big fan of the choice board. Choice boards can be implemented for any grade level or subject. They typically include a wide array of activities of varying difficulty. As a result, all students, regardless of learning style, are able to get the skills and learning they need.

Here's how I use choice boards in my classroom.

The setup of a choice board is simple. First of all, I plan at least nine activities that can be done at stations or centers around the classroom. Each activity is then assigned a point value based on the level of difficulty or work required to complete it. Students must acquire a certain number of points by doing activities of their choice.

When I introduce the activity to the class, I distribute the choice board and review directions orally as students follow along. Next, I walk around the room, visiting each station and explaining each activity. That way, students know where to find them and what to do. At each station, I place another set of directions, this one specific to that activity. I have found this extremely helpful, especially for students who need information presented in smaller chunks. Of course, everything that students need to complete the activity is waiting for them at the station. This really helps avoid confusion.

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Choice boards should offer a variety of activities that appeal to all learning styles.

Another benefit of using choice boards for inclusion classes is that modifications can easily be made without students feeling different or separated from their peers. A professional development seminar that my school held on UDL (Universal Design for Learning) really resonated with me. CAST, a nonprofit education research and development organization, defines UDL as "a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn." This approach really motivated me to be extra diligent in creating lessons that were accessible to all learners.

Here are examples of activities from the choice board shown above:

Choice boards require a decent amount of preparation, but their outcomes are worth the extra time.

The students are learning, but they are also having fun while doing it. When students get to select the activities they do, they are involved in their own learning. This sets them up for success, and as a result the classroom becomes a safe haven for them. Consequently, they develop a positive attitude toward education.

Students also appreciate a teacher who they know is willing to go the extra mile for them. They can tell when a teacher thought outside of the box while planning assignments. If you're looking to create an engaging, hands-on lesson that allows students to take ownership of their own learning, then give choice boards a try.
Have you tried choice boards in the classroom? Come and share your experiences in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, how I engage middle and high school readers by offering more student choice.

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How I Use Choice Boards to Increase Student Engagement

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Choice boards can be implemented for any grade level or subject and typically include a wide array of activities varying in difficulty.

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How to Use Choice Boards to Differentiate Learning

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How to Use Choice Boards to Differentiate Learning % %

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It's easy to see; students don't work at the same pace in the art room. Most classes have students who naturally work faster, and others who work slower. It can be difficult for teachers to plan content for management and instructional purposes, depending on their students' workflow. In situations like this, we might find ourselves giving our students "busy work" to complete just to keep them occupied.

While some of these activities are fun and meaningful, are they maximizing our early finishers' full potential?

There will always be students who will challenge themselves when given the option to "Free Draw," while others won't. So, how can we ensure we are challenging our students in a meaningful and effective way? One solution is a structured choice. Because some students might feel overwhelmed with the option to create whatever they want, they might find themselves lost in the ideation process. Implementing a structured choice process that uses constraints can help students generate ideas in a less intimidating way.

One way to implement a structured choice experience is with "Choose Your Project" activities. Here, you will find 7 Choose Your Own Art Project resources to use in your classroom.

Additional Early Finisher Resources

Art teachers will always have to balance the speed of workflow for their students. They are individuals with their own abilities and passions, after all. Having activities and downloads handy will benefit your own approach to planning and finishing units and inspire your students.

What is your "go-to" strategy for early finishers?
What kinds of activities most inspire your students?
How can a Choose Your Own Project activity offer creativity, choice, and a connection to the National Core Art Standards?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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7 Choose Your Own Project Activities to Download Right Now - The Art of Education University

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It's easy to see; students don't work at the same pace in the art room. Most classes have students who naturally work faster, and others who work slower. It can be difficult for teachers to plan content for management and instructional purposes, depending on their students' workflow.

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contributed by Genially
This is sponsored content
Choice boards are a powerful tool for engaging different kinds of learners and keeping students engaged with lesson content-which means strategies for creating digital choice boards might be useful?

For those just now joining the bandwagon, a choice board is a grid of activities that students can choose from. They are exceptional at promoting active learning and allow teachers to cater to different learning styles and needs at the same time.

How Can I Use Digital Choice Boards Online For Remote Learning and In-Person Classes?

With many classes now given online, many teachers are looking for ways to bring their favorite tool with them by sharing them in class websites, LMSs and video calls. This list of 16 strategies for using choice boards in the classroom also includes ways to use them effectively in the digital classroom for those using a distance learning model.

Click on each number in the infographic here for an explanation of each strategy.

16 Strategies For Using Digital Choice Boards In The Classroom

1. Start Small

You can always add rows or columns for next year's class or the following unit. A 3×1 choice board is better than not having choices!

2. Consider Learning Style Variations

Make sure you have options for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners whenever possible. All learners will benefit from interacting with lesson materials in different ways.

3. Add Audio Explanations

Adding audio to your choice boards, especially for those shared on online platforms, is a nice way to help students feel you close to them.

4. Choose A Point System (Or Grading/Feedback Approach)

If your activities vary in the amount of effort and time they require, you may wish to assign different point values to each one and have students complete enough activities to reach a determined point value. If all your activities are similarly demanding, you can simply ask students to choose a certain number of total activities to complete.

5. Try Tic-Tac-Toe

One fun way to set up your choice board is as a 3×3 grid where students must perform a set of activities to 'get' Tic-Tac-Toe. You can add a 'Free choice square' in the middle so that students can choose from all the squares for that activity.

6. Keep Everything In The Same Place

You'll reduce clutter and confusion by inserting videos, images, and other resources within your board instead of sending students to external sites. These windows that open up are an example of how to do so.

7. Use Breakout Rooms

Use breakout rooms to guide students through a choice board activity during a live video call class. If working with a standard 3×3 grid, break your activities into 3 groups of three (by rows on the board) and have students choose 1 activity from each group.

Start with row one and write the first activity in the chat before asking students to leave a comment if they want to be in that room. Do this for the first 3 activity options and break students into rooms by looking at their comments. Then, repeat this for the 2nd and 3rd groups of activities. It's a good idea to visit each group and post their task there as a reminder when they're starting.

For additional reading, see What Are Zoom Breakout Rooms?

8. Let Students Create Their Own Choice Boards

Have students create their own: Divide your students into groups of 3-5 students, and have each group create a review activity for your lesson. Then combine their activities into a template like this one to create a choice board that the class can use.

9. Make It A Team-Building Activity

Place students into pairs and ask that they complete the entire board between the two of them. Make sure there's no bullying here! Each student must take on both difficult and easy activities. In a 3×3 board, have each student choose 4 activities and leave out the one they like least.

Read Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

When creating your lesson plan, reserve 10-15 minutes for students to share their favorite activity when they finish.

11. Get Feedback From Students

In share time have each student tell you which activity they liked the most and which seemed the least interesting to them. Use this feedback to improve your board for coming years or units.

12. Keep It Compelling And Creative

Get creative! Consider assigning social media formats in the board with prompts such as "choose two characters from this book and write 3 tweets for each with responses in the comments from the other character" or "create a 3 square Instagram feed for this historical event." If you're not social media savvy run your idea by a friend or coworker who is!

Teachers who swear by choice boards keep inventing new ways to use them to teach new materials as well as to review lessons. The more you know about how to put together a choice board and how to use them in the classroom, the more return you'll get from your time investment.

You may want to start with a choice board template to save time if you're looking to make a digital choice board. Here's an example of a choice board made from a Genially template, for example:

Other Quick Strategies For Using Digital Choice Boards In The Classroom

13. Organize your content

Keep a list of tasks grouped by theme, topic, standard, or any other concept you'd like. Maybe even tag your curriculum. Then, when you want to create a digital choice board, you already have the ingredients ready. It's like prepping for a meal ahead of time. : )

14. Use Learning Taxonomies

Use each quadrant to represent a level of complexity or Bloom's Taxonomy or by using Bloom's Taxonomy Questions.

15. Use a Google Docs

With more time, you can create beautiful and personalized choice boards with audio, video, unique scoring systems, and more. But in a pinch, a simple Google Doc with a basic table 2 x 2 table is technically a digital choice board and, with the right options given, work well.

You can also fill your choice boards with learning blends-combinations of 'ingredients' designed to promote mastery of content while letting students have agency, choice, and open-ended opportunity for sustained creativity.

A Last Word Regarding Digital Choice Boards In Your Classroom

While it's sometimes said that failing to plan is planning to fail, using digital choice boards in the classroom doesn't have to be perfect. Don't overthink it! Choose your favorite strategies and get started making your choice board! Your students will thank you for giving them creative opportunities to choose how they want to learn.

Teachers who swear by them are inventing new ways to use them to teach new materials as well as to review lessons. The more you know about how to put together a choice board and how to use them in the classroom, the more return you'll get from your time investment.
This is sponsored content. Regardless of sponsorship, it is TeachThought editorial policy to never share content that isn't useful or compelling for educators. You can read more about sponsored content policy here.

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16 Strategies For Using Digital Choice Boards In The Classroom

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contributed by Genially This is sponsored content Choice boards are a powerful tool for engaging different kinds of learners and keeping students engaged with lesson content-which means strategies for creating digital choice boards might be useful? For those just now joining the bandwagon, a choice board is a grid of activities that students can choose from.

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Within the classroom setting there are two general ways of gaining knowledge: other-directed learning and self-directed learning. Other-directed learning is the traditional means of delivering instruction where a teacher leads the lesson and students are more passive in listening and taking notes. It is the means with which teachers are most comfortable because they are in control of what is taught and, in most instances, how students learned. However, around 1975, self-directed learning became a major movement in education, and it is proving to be a strategic instructional approach.

What is Self-Directed Learning?

Malcom Knowles made popular the idea that student choice should be the center of learning, especially in older learners. In his words, self-directed learning describes a process in which individuals take control of their own learning, with or without the help of others. They initiate the diagnoses of their own learning needs, formulating their own learning goals, identifying necessary resources for learning, choosing appropriate learning strategies, and then evaluating their own learning objectives (Knowles, 1975, p. 18).

While not a new concept, today self-directed learning is gaining a new momentum as teachers discover the importance of this strategy both in the traditional and virtual learning models. It is the most natural means of acquiring new information, as both very young toddlers and older adults will attest. The idea is that if you are interested in something, you will naturally want to learn more about it.

What are the Benefits of Self-Directed Learning?

There are many benefits of students taking control of their own learning. As stated before, naturally we all learn best when we are interested in the topic. Because self-directed learning is driven by the intrinsic motivation to learn, students take ownership in acquiring new knowledge.

Another benefit is the way this strategy teaches students to learn through research and application of skills. Traditionally, teachers often tell students how to learn through memorization or note-taking, but students may lack the understanding of how to acquire knowledge on their own. When involved in self-directed learning, the student becomes in charge of collecting data, doing research, or performing experiments. This helps students understand the best approaches for gathering different types of information.

Another benefit of this type of learning is developing life skills such as setting goals and reflecting on progress. When placed in charge of their own learning, students also become college and career ready as they develop skills such as time management, problem solving, and presentation and communication. Finally, self-directed learning provides a means of reaching each learning style present in your classroom.

Self-Directed Strategies to Try in Your Class

Self-directed learning does not mean giving up on teaching standards. It is simply a way that allows students to decide how they learn and present the material. It also is not a means for replacing the teacher, as there is still a need for a teacher to guide and model important strategies. Some of these strategies include:

Learning to Set Goals - The teacher can lead students in setting goals. Together, they can make a list of topics about which the student will set out to master. Students can then document their learning results and feel a sense of accomplishment as they check off topics. Teachers can help students set realistic and obtainable goals until the student is ready to do this process on their own.

Advancing Understanding - It is important to allow students to start with a familiar topic. This will help guide students through the learning process and challenge them to learn new facts about a known topic. In this way, students will begin to understand how they learn new information.

Teaching the Difference in Useful and Useless Information - As students begin to take charge of their learning, it will be important for them to know how to determine if information is valid and reliable or simply fun or a fallacy. Part of learning how to learn is knowing what information can be trusted. Teachers may provide perimeters for gaining information until students acquire a full understanding of this process.

Sharing New Knowledge - Given a list of topics or standards, students may choose what most interests them to research and create a slide presentation. Once the research is completed, students can share their presentations. This will further develop skills needed to be both a presenter and an attentive audience member.

Creating a Challenge - Using game-based strategies will encourage students' participation. Just like adults, students sometimes need friendly competition and rewards for working hard toward completion of a project. One strategy is to provide students with a Bingo card of options. Each card might have nine activities based on the standard needing to be learned. Students can then choose three to complete. The activities can then provide choices for each learning style. One choice may be a cooperative learning activity; one might be a creative writing; while one may be informative writing. One choice may reach the artistic learner while another may allow the student to do a book report or study a map or diagram.

Getting Creative - Have students create something to show what they have learned. By creating a habitat, a diorama, a song or poem, a short story, a model, or a map, students begin to apply their understanding and tap into their creativity.

Allowing Collaboration - Self-directed learning does not have to be a single-person strategy. Students need to know how to work together, and self-directed learning is a perfect way to encourage cooperative learning. Students who work together can support each other and learn to communicate their own understandings. They may brainstorm to collect ideas and then chose a common topic to further develop.

With the wealth of online resources at today's students' fingertips, self-directed learning is easily implemented in the classroom - whether traditional or virtual. It is a great way to reach virtual learners who may easily become distracted in video conferencing styles of teaching or who need valuable things to do independently. No matter which classroom setting, students will gain more than the just the knowledge they are researching as they will also develop important life skills in reaching their learning goals.

For those that are used to other-directed instruction, teachers may want to begin by modeling and using this new technique along with traditional means of instruction delivery. Remember, teachers are still needed to guide and monitor the exploration of topics. However, soon teachers and students will most likely determine that they learn best when students take charge of their learning.

References

Knowles, M. (1975) Self-directed learning: A guide for learners and teachers, New York: Cambridge Books.

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How to Use Self-Directed Learning in Your Class - TeachHUB

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Within the classroom setting there are two general ways of gaining knowledge: other-directed learning and self-directed learning. Other-directed learning is the traditional means of delivering instruction where a teacher leads the lesson and students are more passive in listening and taking notes.

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Ask most students what they enjoy doing in their spare time and more than likely the answer will involve some sort of game, and most likely that game will involve technology. Because we know this, as educators, we can use this knowledge to our advantage to engage students in activities they will enjoy. Incorporating standards through gamification can be one of the most advantageous strategies to use in any academic grade and can easily be incorporated in initial instruction, review, and even in the assessment of skills learned.

What is Gamification?

Gamification is a way of teaching that involves challenges and game-like strategies to teach, review, or scaffold skills and standards. The idea of using games to engage students is not a new concept. In my early years of teaching in the middle 1990s, it was a trend to incorporate review of skills through a Jeopardy-like game created with index cards and library pockets. Later teachers became more tech-savvy and classroom response clickers were used for students to respond to questions and compete in answering quickly and correctly. Today, with many schools having access to better technology, and some even having one-to-one classrooms, gamification is even easier to implement.

Why Does Gamification Increase Student Engagement?

There is no doubt that students enjoy game-based learning, but teachers may wonder if it truly enhances their learning and engagement. The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" When games are used with intentionality, teachers are able to align them to learning outcomes, which can impact the acquisition of new skills or a review of previously learned material. Games can likewise help build collaboration and encourage teamwork, a necessary workforce skill.

Another benefit of gamification is that it allows students to gain the ability to provide constructive criticism and offer feedback to peers in a constructive manner. This accountable talk is another life-skill that is hard to teach in the classroom where the teacher is the primary lecturer.

Most importantly, because the gaming platform is a very familiar format, students will easily get lost in the lesson and enjoy the learning process because they are so engaged. This form of engagement is proven to motivate students to come to class with an eagerness not often seen in the traditional classroom. Research by Ryan, Rigby, and Przyblski (1) found that gaming fulfills three basic needs in those who play:

1. The need for autonomy. People have the need to be in control, to make choices, and practice self-sufficiency.

2. The need for competency. People desire to know the choices they make are valid and allow them to overcome challenges placed in their paths.

3. The need for relationships. Playing with others, whether on a team or in competition, increases communication skills and promotes collaboration.

Gamification Examples to Try in Your Classroom

There are several competitive assessment online platforms that have students race to answer questions either pre-made or created by the teacher to fit the learning outcomes. With the increased number of students with personal cell phones or tablets, quiz platforms like Kahoot, Quizlet, Blackboard Learn, and Quizzizz, to name a few, allow students to compete in answering questions in real time. The teacher is able to see who has answered correctly and provide direction for those who have a misunderstanding so that feedback is instant, increasing understanding.

Turning assignments into a game is another simple way to allow student choice and provide students with engaging activities. One example is the Tic-Tac-Toe or Bingo Card of tasks. Students are allowed to choose items in a row to complete. These could include a variety of learning style activities so that students are able to choose activities of their interest while learning the same skills or standards. Activities might include creative writing, research-based questions, drawing, or analyzing and problem-solving tasks. When strategically placed, the teacher still has autonomy over the types of activities each child must accomplish, but the student has control over their chosen assignments.

Most people enjoy the chance to participate in a scavenger hunt. This is another game that is easily brought into any class setting and can be done in cooperative groups or independently. Young students may be looking for items of certain parts of speech or sums of mathematical equations while older students may use the internet for research-based inquiry. Prizes or extra points could even be given to those completing the quest first to encourage students to stay on-task and work efficiently.

For more technology-based gaming, there are platforms such as Classcraft, DYKnow, and Class Dojo that allow teachers to incorporate classroom management and parent communication in the same platform where students can compete to earn merit badges for work accomplished, good behavior, and through interactive paths of learning.

Finally, there are many programs and textbook companies who have determined that gamification is the best way to increase engagement and strengthen learning. McGraw-Hill Connect, Starfall, Reading Eggs, IXL, and Study Island are just a few of the many programs that provide differentiated instruction for students while allowing the teacher a chance to monitor progress and collect data on student achievement.

It is very easy to become creative and sprinkle gaming concepts throughout instruction and assessment. Students may be inundated with games during their free time, but it is because they enjoy the competition, the quest, and the achievement. Through gaming, students learn it is okay to make mistakes, as long as you recover and learn in the process. Because gamification is a proven way to motivate students and increase their activity and engagement in learning, it only makes sense that teachers incorporate this strategy in their classroom activities.

References

Ryan, R. M., Rigby, C. S & Przybylski, A. K., (2006). The motivational pull of video games: a self-determination theory approach. Motivation and Emotion. 30, 347-364.

*Updated August, 2020

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How Learning Through Gamification Keeps Students Engaged - Graduate Programs for Educators

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Ask most students what they enjoy doing in their spare time and more than likely the answer will involve some sort of game, and most likely that game will involve technology. Because we know this, as educators, we can use this knowledge to our advantage to engage students in activities they will enjoy.

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What is Effective Questioning? | Techniques for the Classroom

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Open questions are an example of effective questioning and asking them encourages your class to think more critically. Find examples & tips here.

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Fast and Effective Assessment: How to Reduce Your Workload and Improve Student Learning

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What if teachers could dramatically reduce the amount of time they spend reviewing and correcting student work and actually see better results in terms of student learning? That’s the goal of Glen Pea

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Essential Questions

These are questions which touch our hearts and souls. They are central to our lives. They help to define what it means to be human.

Most important thought during our lives will center on such essential questions.

What does it mean to be a good friend?

What kind of friend shall I be?

Who will I include in my circle of friends?

How shall I treat my friends?

How do I cope with the loss of a friend?

What can I learn about friends and friendships from the novels we read in school?

How can I be a better friend?

If we were to draw a cluster diagram of the Questioning Toolkit , Essential Questions would be at the center of all the other types of questions. All the other questions and questioning skills serve the purpose of "casting light upon" or illuminating Essential Questions .

Most Essential Questions are interdisciplinary in nature. They cut across the lines created by schools and scholars to mark the terrain of departments and disciplines.

Essential Questions probe the deepest issues confronting us . . . complex and baffling matters which elude simple answers: Life - Death - Marriage - Identity - Purpose - Betrayal - Honor - Integrity - Courage - Temptation - Faith - Leadership - Addiction - Invention - Inspiration.

The greatest novels, the greatest plays, the greatest songs and the greatest paintings all explore Essential Questions in some manner.

Essential Questions are at the heart of the search for Truth.

Many of us believe that schools should devote more time to Essential Questions and less time to Trivial Pursuit .

One major reform effort, the Coalition of Essential Schools, has made Essential Questions a keystone of its learning strategy. ( Visit the Coalition Web site).

Essential Questions offer the organizing focus for a unit. If the U.S. History class will spend a month on a topic such as the Civil War, students explore the events and the experience with a mind toward casting light upon one of the following questions, or they develop Essential Questions of their own . . .

Why do we have to fight wars?

Do we have to fight wars?

How could political issues or ideas ever become more important than family loyalties?

Some say our country remains wounded by the slavery experience and the Civil War. In what ways might this claim be true and in what ways untrue? What evidence can you supply to substantiate your case?

Military officers often complain that the effective conduct of modern war is impeded by political interference and popular pressures on the home front. To what extent did this also prove true during the Civil War?

How can countries avoid the kind of bloodshed and devastation we experienced during our Civil War?

How much diversity can any nation tolerate?

Who showed greater bravery and courage, the front line soldiers and the nurses who tended to the wounded and dying or the leaders of the war effort?

Should there be a law against war profiteering?

For more on Essential Questions read this other selection .

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Essential Questions These are questions which touch our hearts and souls. They are central to our lives. They help to define what it means to be human. Most important thought during our lives will center on such essential questions. What does it mean to be a good friend?

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Differentiation in the secondary classroom - 8th grade math (ESL)