When students arrive in class they display a variety of abilities, wants and needs. More importantly, they exhibit different learning strengths, styles and language skills. We need to be aware of these and cater for them. With this in mind, here are my top 16 differentiated instruction tips.
To face this challenge, we can implement differentiation. However, there are many misconceptions about what this is. Let me clarify just a few:
- It is NOT individualised instruction, as it does not involve preparing a separate assignment for each learner
- It is NOT just for learners who struggle because students who learn quickly, think deeply and make meaningful connections also need challenges to grow academically as they should
- It is NOT letting students volunteer to answer questions or grading some students a little harder than others in response to their perceived ability
Differentiation is something that runs throughout what we do as teachers. It is what we do to help students make progress no matter their ability, interest or context. It is providing the support and scaffolding they need to meet or exceed the learning intentions.
Differentiating content
Differentiating content is perhaps the most frequently used and possibly the easiest form of differentiation. Content is what students need to know, understand, and do something with.
We can think about differentiating content in two ways:
1) As adapting what we teach or what we want students to learn
2) Adapting how we give students access to what we teach or what we want them to learn
Remember, even if we are giving different learners different resources at different levels of complexity, they will all be working towards the same learning outcome.
Differentiated instruction tips
1) Present content in different ways. E.g. using graphic organisers, Venn diagrams, timelines or flowcharts
2) Divide a long text into manageable chunks
3) Simplify the text to eliminate any unnecessary vocabulary and use simpler language. There are online tools such as online readability tests or English vocabulary profile that will help you check the level of a text and adapt it.
4) Use a variety of texts and resource materials
5) Build a class library from texts at various levels, e.g. magazines, newsletters, brochures, useful websites, podcasts, CDs or DVDs
6) Use note-taking organisers that follow the flow of ideas from a text.
7) Use stepped activities (tasks that contain a series of separate elements) that gradually become more difficult. This challenges all learners. For example, with the topic of rainforests, you could design activities at three levels of difficulty:
- Write a letter to a friend explaining what rainforests are and where they are found
- Draw a diagram explaining how rainforests develop – label the diagram and write an explanation
- Create a table outlining arguments for and against deforestation
8) Categorise worksheets according to their degree of difficulty, e.g. the same worksheet at three levels of difficulty (like Cambridge has done here for Grade 4 and Grade 7 maths).
Worksheet A is the least challenging, with the most support for the least confident learners. Worksheet C is the most challenging, with the least support for the most confident learners. Differentiated worksheet B is somewhere in between A and C.
It is very important that all the worksheets lead to the same learning outcome. It’s not about giving the less confident ‘simpler’ or ‘easier’ work but about making the content and the work more accessible to those who need more support.
9) Provide scaffolding cards with sentence starters, or stems for writing or speaking tasks. You could create these, or your students could make them by working in pairs or small groups.
For example, if learners need to discuss as a class or in groups, you can provide them with cards with phrases they can use to express opinions, ask for clarification, disagreeing politely, etc.
In reading and listening tasks you can turn an ‘answer the question’ exercise into a more stepped task. E.g. True-False, multiple choice, tick the items that are mentioned or complete the sentences.
Differentiating by grouping
When learners do group work, you need to think how grouping will best support all pupils to achieve learning goals. Sometimes it is appropriate to group pupils of similar ability. While other times it is better to have mixed ability groups.
Some learners may be good at doing research. Others may be good at drawing or using technology. With this in mind, you can allocate roles if you think that a learner needs to develop a particular ability, or you can allow them to choose the roles, or allocate roles randomly.
Whatever you choose to do, it is essential that learners know and understand what you expect of them and that their contribution to the group is essential.
One last word
The Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget once said:
“The heart-breaking difficulty in pedagogy is that the best methods are also the most difficult ones”.
Although managing a differentiated classroom is not always easy, the benefits are worth the challenge. Finally, allow me to offer a few final tips you can use to meet the challenge.
1) Begin at a pace that is comfortable for you
2) Select a few low-preparation strategies and use them consistently throughout the year. Then choose one or two high preparation ones per quarter and add them to your repertoire.
3) Deliver instructions carefully. Instead of giving multiple sets of instructions to the class as a whole, give task cards to individuals or groups.
4) Have a plan for fast finishers
5) Promote on-task behaviour and make it clear to students that this will help them do better quality work
6) Engage students in talking about classroom procedures and expectations, individually and as a group
7) And last but not least: PLAN, PLAN, PLAN AND SHARE WORK WITH COLLEAGUES!
If you have enjoyed these differentiated instruction tips, you will find more help for differentiation in our primary and lower secondary series. In fact, Annie is our author for Global English teacher’s resources! Check these, and the rest of the series, out on the primary and lower secondary hub.
