Differentiating Instruction Success for All Learners

1. 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457-1520 · (860) 632-1485 Connecticut State Department of Education · Division of Educational Programs and Services Differentiating Instruction Success for All Learners A Professional Development Opportunity for Enfield Pre-K to Grade 1 Megan Formica formica@ctserc.org Kathy Bradley bradley@ctserc.org Kim Mearman mearman@ctserc.org

2. Essential Questions • What is your role in facilitating children’s learning? • How do the components of Differentiated Instruction support all students in the learning process? • What specific strategies can be used to differentiate lessons and units? • What are my next steps in applying the principles of Differentiated Instruction?

3. NEASC –NAEYC Accreditation Process No Child Left Behind (Increased Accountability) IDEA Common Core of Teaching PJ et al Information Age Standards Movement (Including Preschool Assessment Framework) Achievement Gaps BEST Portfolio Process Why the Current Interest? Why Differentiated Instruction?

4.  Accommodations & Curricular Modifications Specialized Instruction  The Achievement Gaps Demands/ Skills Years in School

5. “Intellectual disability means significant deficits in conceptual, practical and social intelligence that adversely affect a student’s educational performance and are manifested during the developmental period (birth to age 18).” Guidelines for Identifying Children with Intellectual Disability, CT State Department of Education, 2000

6. Access to General Education Curriculum “…the majority of children identified as eligible for special education and related services are capable of participating in the general education curriculum to varying degrees with some adaptations and modifications. This provision is intended to ensure that children’s special education and related services are in addition to and are affected by the general education curriculum and not separate from it.”

7. A Technical Definition of Curriculum Differentiation Curriculum differentiation is a process teachers use to enhance student learning by matching various curriculum components to characteristics shared by subgroups of learners in the classroom (e.g., learning style preferences, interests, prior knowledge, learning rate). Purcell & Burns 2002

8. A Pragmatic Definition of Curriculum Differentiation “In the context of education, we define differentiation as a teacher’s reacting responsively to a learner’s needs…The goal of a differentiated classroom is maximum student growth and individual success.” Tomlinson & Allan 2002

9. Basic Principles to Remember • Differentiation is not a new concept. • Differentiation is not planning individualized lessons for each student in the class. It is also not whole group instruction all of the time. • Differentiation is necessary. • You know your students. You are the best judge of when and what you can do to help all students be successful learners of your content area. • Keep it simple. Start small. Build on current effective instructional practices.

10. What Does the Research Say? • A longitudinal study of 200 students • Students who were under challenged • Low involvement in learning activities • Less concentration • Students who were challenged beyond their skill level • Low achievement • Low self-worth Csikszentmihalyi, Rathunde, & Whalen (1993)

11. What Does the Research Say? • In the same study • Student interest is the key to the motivation to complete more complex tasks • Student interest from previous tasks is often the key to student’s continued motivation to complete tasks that for the moment are not as interesting Csikszentmihalyi, Rathunde, & Whalen (1993)

12. What Does the Research Say? • In a meta-analysis of research • Accommodating learning style through teaching or counseling interventions resulted in significant academic and attitude gains for all cultural groups Sullivan (1993)

13. What Does the Research Say? • By abolishing tracking and grouping heterogeneously • Teachers gradually moved from the former teacher-centered instruction to student-centered • Less in front of the room-more circulation • Less independent work-more cooperative learning • Less on text and test factual questions-more open ended, higher-order thinking questions Rothenburg, McDermott, & Martin (1998)

14. What Does the Research Say? • By abolishing tracking in one high school and grouping heterogeneously • Teacher and student attitudes were more positive about heterogeneous grouping • Previously lower track students showed significant higher achievement than before • Previously higher tracked students achieved just as highly as before Rothenburg, McDermott, & Martin (1998)

15. Traditionally… The teacher directs student behavior The teacher solves problems The teacher provides whole-class standards for grading In Differentiation… The teacher facilitates student’s skills at becoming more self-reliant learners Students help others and teacher solve problems Students work with teacher to establish both whole class and individual learning goals Our Role… Tomlinson, 1999

16. Benefits of Co-Teaching (Friend)

17. Co-Teaching Approaches • One Teach, One Observe • One Teach, One Drift • Parallel Teaching • Station Teaching • Alternative Teaching • Team Teaching

18. Why? To gather data To analyze data To check student progress To compare target students to others When? In new co-teaching situations After questions arise about students As a deliberate part of a lesson One Teach/One Observe

19. Why? To provide unobtrusive assistance to all students as needed One teacher has a particular area of expertise When? In new co-teaching situations The lesson lends itself to delivery by one person As a deliberate part of a lesson when students need close monitoring One Teach/One Drift

20. Why? To lower student/teacher ratio To foster participation in discussions To monitor students more closely When? As new topics are introduced To review for tests, drill and practice, or re-teaching a topic Parallel Teaching

21. Why? To lower student/teacher ratio To teach several topics at once To teach complex material that is not hierarchical When? Students need to work in smaller groups As a deliberate part of a lesson Station Teaching

22. Why? If a small group of students needs remediation For enrichment For assessment purposes If mastery of a concept varies When? “Flu” group Friday review Pre-teaching Alternative Teaching

23. Why? To demonstrate interaction to students (role playing, modeling) When? Teachers have a high sense of comfort working together Team Teaching

24. Co-teaching Is a Service Delivery System in Which: • Two (or more) educators or other certified staff, • Contract to share instructional responsibility, • For a single group of students, • Primarily in a single classroom workspace, • For specific content (objectives), • With mutual ownership, pooled resources, and joint accountability, • Although each individual’s level of participation may vary. Marilyn Friend, Ph.D.

25. Key Components For Differentiation • Content/Standards • Assessment • Grouping Strategies • Introductory Activities • Teaching Methods • Learning Activities • Resources • Products • Extension Activities • Adaptations Based on Learner Needs Parallel Curriculum, 2002

26. Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation such as Ongoing assessment and adjustment Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Differentiation of Instruction Tomlinson, 1999

27. Tomlinson, 1999 Content Process Product According to Student’s Readiness Learning Profile Interests Through a range of instructional and management strategies such as Multiple intelligences Jigsaw Taped materials Anchor activities Varying texts Varied supplementary materials Literature circles Tiered lessons Tiered centers Tiered products Learning contracts Small-group instruction Group investigation Orbitals Independent studies 4MAT Varied questioning strategies Interest centers Interest groups Varied homework Compacting Varied journal prompts Complex instruction Teachers Can Differentiate

28. A Piece of the PIE          Planning, teaching, assessing and adapting are interconnected parts of a whole educational process.

29. Tests/ Checklists Commercial Standardized Focus on quantitative data Assessment Process Multi-purposeful Information gathering Tests/Checklists vs. Assessment

30. The Nature & Purpose of Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom • Provides on-going information to inform instructional • Includes pre-assessment, in-process assessment, and post-assessment • Includes a range of approaches Callahan & Tomlinson, 2002

31. Differences among students Academic Differences Developmental readiness Prior knowledge Reading level Cognitive Differences Thinking skills Learning rate Social and Emotional Interests Learning styles Motivation Assessment Use well-aligned assessments to monitor growth Align assessment data with instructional components Use scores to determine how students are progressing Offer students alternative products to demonstrate their understanding Provide for self-assessment How Can Assessment Help Us to Differentiate Our Instruction? Purcell, 2003

32. + The Assessment Equation TASK KNOWLEDGE COGNITIVE PROCESSING ASSESSMENT Purcell, 2003

33. Why should we assess for more than cognitive ability? • To understand and support other factors that contribute to life-long success: • Attitudes • Interests • Motivation • Learning style preferences • Expression style preferences Purcell, 2003

34. Content Knowledge Facts Concepts Macro-concepts Principles Themes Basic Skills Cognitive Skills Methodological Skills Applications Generalizations Transformations Cognitive Processes Recall Match Sort Compare Make An Analogy Decide Critique Provide an Alternative Prospective Problem Solve Create Knowledge and Process Options Purcell, 2003

35. Methods of Assessment • Teacher Observations • Learner Profiles • K-N-W Charts • Journals • Parent Letters • Lists, Surveys • Products • Performances • Conferences • Concept Maps Purcell, 2003

36. Quantitative data (Numbers) Instructional level Frequency Duration Overall student progress Qualitative data (Words) Environmental or instructional conditions Intensity Error analysis Function of behavior The Numbers and Words About Assessment

37. What curriculum standards does this address? What are the expectations of the task? What is the amount of relevant practice/student engagement provided? What teaching strategies are used? Is there appropriate pacing? Is there an instructional match provided? Effective Questions to Analyze The Instructional Environment

38. What does the student know/do? What are the student’s strengths and interests? What it the student’s instructional level? How does the student approach new learning? What learning strategies does the student use? How does the student organize information? Does the student self-monitor? What are the patterns in errors? Essential Questions to Analyze Student Performance

39. What does the student contribute to his environment? When, where, and with whom is the behavior most likely to occur? When does he exhibit appropriate behaviors? What happens immediately before the behavior? What do others do when the behavior occurs? What other environmental conditions may contribute to the behavior? Effective Questions to Ask About Student Behavior

40. What have I done? How well did I do each task? Did I stick to the task? If I did the task again, what would I do differently? Why? What new question do I want to research? How do I feel about what I’ve done? Did I follow directions? Did I work without disturbing others? Did I help others? If so, how? Was I independent in my work? Did I recheck my work? What aspect of my work makes me most proud? Student Self-Assessment Questions

41. Record Keeping • Interviews • Observation Check Sheets • “Seating Charts” • Clipboards • Post-It notes • Index cards • Journals

42. Content standards What gets taught Subject matter The skills and knowledge The applications Set the broad curriculum goals Performance standards Demonstrate levels of mastery that students must meet Translate content into specific knowledge and skills Define specific grade levels or benchmarks Content Standards vs. Performance Standards V. Nolet & M. J. McLaughlin (2000)

43. Compare the characteristics of mammals to reptiles Identify animals that are mammals Define the characteristics of mammals What all students will learn What most students will learn What some students will learn A Piece of Curriculum Pie KU-CRL

44. None Few Some All Example: Sample Standards: The student will compare the characteristics of mammals to reptiles. No One Yet Knows : How to compare and contrast characteristics of animal kingdoms, such as warm-blooded, hair, etc. A Few Students Know: How to identify animals by mammals, reptiles, birds, etc. Some Students Know:How to group animals by common features or characteristics Everyone Already Knows: How to name common domestic and wild animals

45. Examining… • What is equal opportunity? • Fair • Just • Adequate • Non-discriminatory • Reasonable • Equal • Identical • Alike • Same Fair  Equal

46. Embedded Learning Opportunities • Short teaching episodes within ongoing classroom activities and routines; the instructional component is planned ahead of time. • Good match between the activity or routine & the child learning objective • Takes advantage of Child’s interests and preferences so this enhances the child’s motivation to participation and learn. • Child’s ability to use skill in different situations is encouraged. Sandall & Scwartz, 2002

47. Child –Focused Instructional Strategies. Child –focused Instructional Strategies use instruction that is more systematic, more frequent, and more carefully planned They are techniques and methods for delivering instruction that have been demonstrated by research to result in improved child outcomes.

48. Child Activity MatrixDate: Teacher’s Name: Child’s Name: Key: CM = curriculum modification; ELO = embedded learning opportunity; CFIS = child-focused instructional strategy

49. Accommodation A change made to the teaching or testing procedures in order to provide a student with access to information and to create an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to demonstrate knowledge and skills (HOW) Modification A change in what the student is expected to learn and/or demonstrate (WHAT) While a student may be working on modified course content, the subject area/context remains the same as for the rest of the class. Accommodations vs. Modifications V. Nolet & M. J. McLaughlin (2000)

50. Accommodation Accommodations do not change the instructional level, content, or performance criteria for meeting standards; they do not alter the big idea or major learning outcomes expected of the instruction. Modification Modifications may alter the subject matter or the expected performance of the student. Accommodations vs. Modifications V. Nolet & M. J. McLaughlin (2000)