August 25-26, 2010

1. Meeting the Individual Needs of Students: Differentiated Instruction Eileen Brusek-Kaczmarek August 25-26, 2010

2. Workshop Goals • Recognize learning and thinking styles • Identify techniques and processes that teachers can use to adjust instructional delivery to their students’ needs • Examine multiple instructional strategies and grouping techniques

3. Norms for Working Together • Equity of voice • Active Listening • Respect for All Perspectives • Safety and Confidentiality

4. Identifying Learning Style Community Builder: True Colors Activity and Handout: “True Colors”

5. Identifying Learning Style Activity: Learning Styles Associated With True Colors • Stand with group associated with your color • Form a triad within your group • Discuss the following: • Does “True Colors” accurately describe your personality/learning style? • Why is it important to know the personality/learning styles of student?

6. What Is DIFFERENTIATION? Differentiation is… • “…a process which teachers can use to increase achievement by improving the match between learner's current unique characteristics and curriculum components. -Dr. Deborah Burns, University of Connecticut • “…planning instruction in a variety of ways to meet the needs of a variety of learners.” -Dr. Kathie F. Nunley, Differentiating the High School Classroom Think/write/group share

7. Why Differentiate? • Standard-based classrooms • High expectations for ALL children • Multicultural diversity • Student diversity • Research on human learning • Rapid technological change Table partners/group list

8. Differentiation of Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by general principles of differentiation, such as Authentic Flexible Grouping Ongoing assessment Tasks and adjustment C. Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (p.15)

9. Differentiation of Instruction Teachers can differentiate… … Content Process Product …according to student’s Readiness Interest Learning Profile C. Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, p.15

10. Critical Components of Differentiation • Get to know your students • Build Community in your classroom • Assess students regularly • Formal (end of unit tests, essays, product) • Informal (pretests, exit cards, KWHL, student surveys—thumbs up/down, review ques.)\ Popcorn

11. Know the Learner Preferred Learning Styles • Auditory • Visual • Kinesthetic Carousel activity

12. Multiple Intelligences http://pkab.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/multiple_intelligences_diagram3.jpg handout

13. Develop Student Profiles • Jack (IEP) concrete learner who needs visual representation to learn and demonstrate understanding of content material. • Samantha (GL) has exceptional concept mastery in auditory terms but struggles with written language. • Brian (underachieving AGL) demonstrates exceptional ability in reading, writing and math but only under certain circumstances. Typically strong artist (music/drawing) • Chris (GL) can adapt to auditory, visual and spatial instruction. Reads and writes at grade level

14. Fundamental Practices in Differentiated Classroom • Flexibility of: • Teaching modes • Learning styles • Assessment • Grouping • Ongoing assessment • Formal • Informal Shout out

15. Fundamental Practices in Differentiated Classroom • Grouping by • Readiness • Interest • Learning style • Whole class • Individual • Pairs • Small groups http://www.grownetwork.com/assets/groups3.gif Elbow partner

16. Differentiation Planning Strategies… Jigsaw Bloom’s taxonomy Differentiated Questioning Inquire based learning Graphic organizers Cooperative learning groups Role playing Menu/contracts (think-tac-toe) Tiered assignments Turn & talk/handout on thumbdrives

17. Assessment http://simmonsatshowcase.wikispaces.com/file/view/Testing_Cartoon.jpg/33641679/Testing_Cartoon.jpg

18. Authentic Assessment • Authentic assessment aims to evaluate students' abilities in 'real-world' contexts. Students learn how to apply their skills to authentic tasks and projects. • Authentic assessment does not encourage rote learning and passive test-taking. • Instead, it focuses on students' individual analytical skills; ability to integrate what they learn; creativity; ability to work collaboratively; and written and oral expression skills. • It values the learning process as much as the finished product. (Pearson Education, 2002, 1)

19. Authentic assessment can include many different types of assessments Performance-based assessment Short investigations Open-response questions Portfolios Self-assessments shout out/ handout/ turn & talk

20. EXIT CARD • How will you determine your students’ preferred learning style next year? • Think of a lesson you teach. How can you present the concept or lesson to accommodate differentiation using multiple intelligences and preferred learning styles? • List two authentic assessments you will incorporate into your classes next year? • Which differentiation strategy will you try to in your classroom next month?Differentiation Planning Strategies… • On a scale of 1-4 (4 means you understand everything), rate your understanding of Differentiated Instruction

21. “Not all students will make the same journey as they learn, but this diversity of learning styles enriches the classroom community.” — Jennifer, Student Teacher Adapted from Touch the Future…Teach!, 2006