Differentiated Instruction:the wave of the future

Presented by: Team AwesomeNina Bilynsky

Mattias van ’t HoenderaalAnthony Mozzo

Justyne Uldschmidt

What is Differentiated Instruction?

“…Ensuring what a student learns, how he/she learns it and how the student demonstrates what he/she has learned is a match for that students readiness level, interests and preferred mode of learning” (as cited in Rock, Gregg, Ellis and Gable, 2008).

In Other Words…

Matching your teaching methods to the diverse needs of the students in your classroom.

Why Differentiate Instruction?

-Inclusion/IEPs-Address learning disabilities-Increase performance on standardized

tests- Reduce behavior disruptions and enhance

classroom management

How Do You Do It?

Some Strategies for Differentiating Instruction:

-Balance whole-class instruction with peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS)

-Introduce problem solving tasks-Incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy-Implement Universal Design in lessons and in

classroom environment

-Structure every lesson, vary the pace of instruction

-Provide graphic organizers and other visual supports

-Use assistive technology-Give frequent, immediate and instructive

feedback

Some Strategies for Differentiating Instruction:

Scaffolding

Scaffolding states that a teacher will introduce a new concept to a student and gives the student all the assistance that they will require in the beginning of the teaching phase.  Then as the lessons continue, the teacher will assign new lessons that the student must learn.  This time the student will be required to handle things on their own.  This is the basic of fundamentals of scaffolding in education.

Benefits to Scaffolding

• Students who are taught using scaffolding show increase metacognition.

•Students think more effectively about the task at hand.

•Students work with increased self-efficency.

Implementation of Methodology

•Teachers adjust questions on worksheets, quizzes, and tests according to Bloom’s Taxonomy from simple to more abstract questions.

•Worksheets are completed by completing the essential questions first then leaving the less difficult blank.

•The theory behind this principle is to make the students more and more independent, and as they become more independent, they also become more confident.

Origin of Methodology

This method of teaching was proposed by Lev Vygotsky. 

Vygotsky made a theory known as Zone of Proximal Development.

More about Scaffolding

Zone of Proximal Development is to find out the level of difficulty a student will be able to handle on his own and what rate of accomplishment will he achieve.  The Zone of Proximate Development also requires the determination of the level in where the student will then need the assistance of the teacher and how much accomplishment will he achieve under supervision and assistance.

This concept is best simplified and explained as a teaching method that is applied by the teacher to his student where in the teacher provides all the things that the student will need in his studies as well as give the student his very much needed support for the student to be able to discover new concepts and knowledge.  Right now, this method of educating students is applied in various learning institutions.  Scaffolding in education is one of the best methods of teaching that is applied today.

The 5 levels of scaffolding

Level E – The teacher models the complete performance accompanied by verbal explanations. Basically the first step in scaffolding . The teacher must first take in toconsideration what the student knows and does not know. The teacher will present a basic problem to the student, one he/she will know. The teacher then present a more difficult problem, but will prompt the student to use the same problem solving technique to solve the new problem.

Level D – The teacher still provides modeling with some verbal explanations, but unlike level E, some student participation is included. Hints or cues will be given to the students to guide them through an assignment.

Level C – As the students become more and more independent, the will need less verbal prompting. Teachers at this level will give very little verbal cues about specific elements of the strategy to assist students.

Levels of scaffolding

Level B – The teacher at this level will be ready to remove the scaffolding fromthe student. The teacher will only give verbal cues abut general strategies the students might use. Teachers will compare and contrast an idea with one that the student already knows.

Level A – Teachers have totally removed the scaffolding from the student’s learning. Teachers will only provide support by asking the student “What can you do now. Teachers will work with the new knowledge and accept partially correct responses. The teacher will build on the incorrect answers later in the course as a way to reinforce.

In Closing

•Scaffolding works better when the students are all at the same level.

•Teacher must know what the student knows or does not know.

• Moving through the 5 levels must be down at a slow steady pace for the methodology to be successful.

Blooms Taxonomy

*engaging students, encouraging discussion, stimulating higher cognitive thinking and evaluating learning progress .

*This powerful tool that is abundantly present in the teaching profession is often taken for granted. Higher cognitive thinking invites a further understanding of content such as problem solving, making judgments, evaluation and reflection to name a few

Benefits to the Methodology

• Working at the higher cognitive level encourages deeper understanding helping students apply knowledge instead of just knowing it.

• You can develop questions and objectives that represent each thinking level on the taxonomy.

Teachers and parents can create questions that are focused on a particular level of mental complexity.

Understanding and ability to function at higher levels constitute an "education" in its truest sense.

Implementation of Methodology

• By incorporating the "Trigger Words" into their objectives, teachers can write differentiated plans more efficiently and target instruction at appropriate levels of complexity for a variety of skill levels. Differentiation by product is simplified by using the suggestions in the table based on subject matter and student interest.

• Remember-Each task will require students to have knowledge of past events.  They must recall the effects of previous oil spills and recognize that by using this information, they can devise their own clean-up plan.

• Understand-Students are required to differentiate between various clean-up methods and describe the pros and cons of each.  Students must also predict what will happen to various groups of wild-life that are exposed to the spill.

• Apply-Students must demonstrate the best method to clean up oil based on their experimental results.  Students must also use graphical data to conclude what the effects are on fresh and salt water.

• Analyze- The density expert will compare ocean water and fresh water by watching an experiment and by graphing the linear density equation.

• Evaluate- The contamination expert will conduct an experiment testing various cleanup methods in order to evaluate which one is the best.  The wildlife expert will conduct an experiment to evaluate the effect oil has on animals.

• Create- Develop a clean-up plan that will be presented to President of the United States of America, applying all the knowledge that was learned throughout the web quest.  The plan must be supported with scientific and mathematical evidence.

More about…

In Closing

• Blooms Taxonomy is used to promote higher level cognitive thinking. First you have to know and remember something to understand or comprehend. Then you apply the knowledge and analyze it before you evaluate. Once you evaluate you can create bring the learning full circle or making the learning more meaningful and moving it into the long term memory.

Adjusting Questions

Questions are adjusted to the thinking levels of the students

Benefits to Adjusting Questions

•Students who are taught using scaffolding show increased metacognition.

•Students think more effectively about the task at hand.

•Students work with increased self-efficency.

Implementation of Methodology

Usually questions at the lower levels are appropriate for: • Evaluating students' preparation and comprehension.• Diagnosing students' strengths and weaknesses.• Reviewing and/or summarizing content.

Questions at higher levels of the taxonomy are usually most appropriate for:• Encouraging students to think more deeply and critically.• Problem solving.• Encouraging discussions.• Stimulating students to seek information on their own.

Question frames

•It is the most used form of differentiation in the classroom

•Adjusting questions can be used on all levels of education

•It is closely connected to Bloom’s taxonomy

In Closing

Thank you for your attention!!

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