Adapted with permission fromMelanie Learoyd & Morag Kelley

North Vancouver School BoardMay 9, 2009

“In a diverse classroom, no single method can reach all learners. Multiple pathways to achieving goals are needed.”

Source: Hitchcock, 2002

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Teaching Content to All

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Open-ended teaching

Adapted

Modified

Source: Brownlie & King

Universal DesignOrigin in the field of architecture.Stairs are the access most of us have to

buildings.Historically, architects have designed

buildings to be accessible for the majority of people, but not for all people.

For some people stairs are a barrier to access: people in wheelchairs, people on roller blades, mothers using baby strollers.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Shapes teaching to provide all students access to the curriculum.

Sees that every learner is unique and will benefit from a flexible curriculum.

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The Challenge of Learners with Diverse Needs

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orRedesign the curriculum?

Retrofit the curriculum?

“fix” the child

“fix” the curriculum

goals

assessm

en

ts

meth

od

s

mate

rials

so that it can meet diverse learner needs

The Goal…

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Guiding Principles

Multiple means of engagementto tap into learners' interests, offer

appropriate challenges, & increase motivation

Multiple means of processingto give learners various ways of

acquiring information & knowledgeMultiple means of expressionto provide learners alternatives for

demonstrating what they know 7

The Gradual Release ModelModelGuided practiceIndependent practiceIndependent

application

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Source: Pearson,1982

Differentiated Instruction

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Why Differentiate?All kids are

different.One size does not

fit all.Differentiation

provides all students with access to all curriculum.

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What is Differentiation?“To differentiate instruction

is to recognize students’ varying background

knowledge, readiness, learning styles, and

interests, and to respond to these differences.”

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Comparing Traditional & Differentiated Classrooms

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Student DifferencesTraditional:

Student differences are addressed when they become a problem.

Differentiated:Differences become the basis for planning &

instruction.

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AssessmentTraditional:

Summative (end of unit).

Differentiated:Diagnostic & formative so instruction responds

to the learner.

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Interest/Learning StyleTraditional:

Interest and learning style rarely inform instruction.

Differentiated:Students are guided in making interest &

learning profile-based choices; instruction is based around the ways students learn.

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InstructionTraditional:

Much of instruction is whole-class.

Differentiated:Many instructional groupings and

arrangements.

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AssignmentsTraditional:

Students are usually given the same assignment to complete.

Differentiated:Multi-option assignments are provided,

allowing choices for demonstrating learning.

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Factors Guiding InstructionTraditional:

A single curriculum guide or text is often used.

Differentiated:Student readiness, interest, and learning

profile guide instruction that incorporates multiple materials; curriculum guides & standards are still used, but supplemented by other materials.

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What can we differentiate?

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Content Process Product

According to Students’

Readiness InterestLearningProfile

We Can Differentiate

Adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (Tomlinson, 1999).20

ContentDifferentiate the actual content of the material being presented to the students.

Example: Some students may be learning single-digit multiplication facts, while others are learning to multiply two- or three-digit numbers

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What do you teach?

ProcessHow the student learns what is being taught

Example: Some students need to interact with the material in a hands-on manner, some might prefer to read a book or interact with material on the computer

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How do you teach?

Product How the student shows what he/she has learned.

Example: Students can write a paper or they can present information orally

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How do you assess learning?

Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom

OngoingInstruction-dependentStudent-dependentInformative for continued

instruction.

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Building Student Profiles

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Content Process Product

According to Students’

Readiness InterestLearningProfile

We Can Differentiate

Adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (Tomlinson, 1999).

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ReadinessBackground knowledge and skill level.

Example: some students may be ready to read text at a fifth-grade level, while others are ready to read text at a third-grade level

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What do they know?

Assessing ReadinessDiagnostic assessments (formal or informal)Pre-testsInformal questioning of background

knowledgeKWL (Know, Want to Know, Learn)

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What do they know?

InterestStudent’s interest or preferences:

Interest inventories.Inclusion in planning process.Specific interests in a particular topic to

motivate the student.

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What do they enjoy?

Learning Profile Learning Styles:

Learning style inventories (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic).

Observing student activities.

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How do they learn best (style)?